ARTIST OF THE MONTH: HARI PRASAD SHARMA
Sept 2020
The tireless contribution of 84-year-old artist Hari Prasad Sharma in the contemporary context of Nepali painting cannot be forgotten. Artist Sharma has shown perennial dedicated to art all his life. He got exhausted and sick when he went to observe “Unity Day” celebration on Poush 27 (which year???). Although he has recovered to some extent after expensive treatment in the hospital, he is not able to do anything due to his physical weakness. However, his future plans and dreams are very beautiful. He is thinking of accomplishing them when he gets healthy.
Artist Sharma had been making a grand historical painting related to Changunarayan for an exhibition for almost a year until the last evening of Shrawan 2076 BS. He is such a creative artist that he cannot stay still without painting; he goes on painting continuously. He focuses on history and archeology books. That is why it took him a decade to paint the Kailashkut building. First of all, he spent a lot of time figuring out what the palace would look like and envisioning it. Then, he drew it on paper hundreds of times. When his mind began sinking into the imagination of the palace, only then he started painting the palace. Of course, this is the basis of most of his paintings. For the paintings to be made, on-site research, investigation with the concerned persons and authorities and the study of history is mandatory. In all these works, he is getting necessary help from his son, Dr. Bishnu Prasad Sharma. It can be believed that the collaboration of father and son has brought innovation and positive works in the field of art.
It is mentioned in the details of the Chinese travelers that the meeting hall of the Kailashkut Bhawan, built by King Anshuverma, could accommodate only ten thousand people. Based on this, he has presented hundreds of people in his painting. In most of his works, the reflection of beauty can be taken as a unique feature along with the crowd of people where the colors of Nepali people’s life, culture, nature and living art are expressed. Therefore, the presentation of beauty is the main goal of his art.
That’s why his belief is clear: what worth is an art if it is not understandable, doesn’t enchant the mind and has to be asked to someone for its meaning! A real art is one that is simple and is pleasing to the mind.
Artist Hari Prasad Sharma follows his own definition of art and paints in a similar manner. He is a successful artist, whose painting touches the heart and is able to present Nepal’s past cultural, archeological and historical period in its original form.