By Meena Lama
Among the exhibitions currently running in Kathmandu, Tracing the Himalaya stands as a major achievement: an artist-initiated collaboration that brings together four master artists from Nepal's remote Himalayan regions: Dorjee Gurung Lama from Karmarong, Mugu; Pemba Sherpa from Sindhupalchok; Tenjen Angdak Gurung from Dolpa, and Tsering Phonjo Gurung from Mustang. In partnership with the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), this exhibition marks a significant moment where institutional support meets grassroots creative vision, validating artist-led initiatives and opening doors for practitioners from regions historically underrepresented in Nepal's mainstream art discourse.
Nepal's artistic wealth extends far beyond its urban centers. From the Terai to the Hills and into the Himalayas, each region contributes distinct legacies to the nation's cultural heritage. Tracing the Himalaya illuminates the highland's particular contribution, a visual language shaped by altitude, spirituality, isolation, and resilience. Through a compelling combination of traditional Thangka paintings and contemporary landscape works, these four artists trace not merely geographic terrain but the lived experience of Himalayan communities, their spiritual practices, and their ongoing struggle between tradition and change.
Dorjee Gurung Lama, founder of Dokar Art Studio and Tsering Phonjo Gurung, founder of Chhoser Arts, present works that document the cultural landscapes of Mugu and Mustang respectively, depicting highland settlements, trading routes, pastoral life, and the intimate relationship between people and their environment. Dorjee's paintings, informed by over 28 years of practice and his literary work documenting Karmarong culture, capture the daily rhythms of communities still largely untouched by modern infrastructure, where yaks and goats remain central to survival, and trade continues along ancient routes. Tsering, recognized as Nepal Ambassador of Vision Art Media New York, brings contemporary sensibility to traditional subjects, revealing Mustang's distinctive visual culture.
Tenjen Angdak Gurung and Pemba Sherpa anchor the exhibition in the sacred dimensions of Himalayan life through their mastery of Thangka art. Both artists carry forward lineages of spiritual painting. Tenjen, founder of Tenzing Art Gallery, trained for eight years at Yungdrung Kundrak Ling Bon Monastery in South Sikkim under Master Kelsang Nyima, while Pemaba, founder of Nye Pemasal Himalayan Traditional Art Center, has spent three decades adorning Buddhist mansions across Nepal, India, Singapore, Vietnam, and China . Significantly, their works encompass both Buddhist and Bon traditions, revealing the spiritual diversity that has flourished in these mountain regions for centuries. The inclusion of Bon Buddhism paintings offer visitors a rare encounter with a practice many may not know exists in Nepal, deepening our understanding of the Hiamalayas as a space of profound religious plurality.
Artist-led initiatives like Tracing the Himalaya foster creative freedom and experimentation beyond commercial constraints. When artists themselves determine what stories deserve telling, which tradition warrant preservation and how their communities should be represented, the results carry an authenticity and urgency that institutional curation alone cannot achieve. This exhibition brings forward a unique cultural lineage the artistic inheritance of Mugu, Dolpa, Sindhupalchok, and Mustang through the voices of those who embody it.
As a curator, it is my honor to support this collective vision with curatorial framework and technical assistance, facilitating a dialogue between these artists and broader audiences. Tracing the Himalaya invites us to recognize that Nepal’s artistic richness resides not only in its celebrated centers but in its remotest villages, carried forward by artists who have dedicated their lives to preserving and reimagining their heritage.
The exhibition, organised by Chhoser Arts Mustang in collaboration with NAFA, will continue until November 25. Inaugurated by the NAFA Chancellor, Nardamani Hartamchhali, it features a total of 64 artworks, including 20 pieces by Chhiring Phonjo Gurung from Mustang, 17 by Tenzing Angdak Gurung from Dolpa, 18 by Dhorje Gurung Lama from Mugu, and nine by Pemba Sherpa from Sindhupalchok.
