Etching (Unique)
102 x 102 cm
One of his famous works that draws inspiration from his experience in Kathmandu is the etching and color viscosity of Fantasia. Shah believes that, perhaps long ago, Kathmandu was
inhabited by various Gods and Goddesses who have now transformed themselves into stone
images. Kathmandu, now, is an open museum, a city of temples where the artist feels spiritually
tied to his inspiration. Therefore, Gods and Goddesses, rituals and temples are recurring
themes in his work.
The etching of Fantasia incorporates the temples of historical and cultural importance that are
spread across the valley. The restless pace of modern life in the fast changing city of Kathmandu is a subject that the artist enjoys capturing in his canvases and prints. The placing together of the old temples in this painting provides a contrast to the now modernized Kathmandu. Shah claims to be most creative during the night and he enjoys a nocturnal existence, painting well into the morning and sleeping the whole day. It is probably because of this habit that his works rarely tell the stories of a bright sunny day, instead they speak of the mornings, the evenings and night, especially moonlit nights that illuminate the cityscape of Kathmandu.