Shashikala Tiwari
Shashikala Tiwari’s works deal about Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, women’s issues and the images of nature. Tiwari seems to have suffered from terrorism, tragic events and social disharmony in contemporary Nepali society, and her works depict her quest for peaceful and harmonious society. She exploits religious allegories and the images of nature to achieve this goal.
Shashikala Tiwari’s works deal about Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, women’s issues and the images of nature. Tiwari seems to have suffered from terrorism, tragic events and social disharmony in contemporary Nepali society, and her works depict her quest for peaceful and harmonious society. She exploits religious allegories and the images of nature to achieve this goal.
Her works carry spiritual undercurrents within them drawing her inspiration from the Hindu-Buddhist myths and allegories. Some of her paintings explore the life of the Buddha. Shashikala is also constantly seeking her inspiration from nature: the mountains and streams, trees, leaves and flowers, birds. Some of her paintings depict the images of cow and the map of Nepal. She expresses her nationalistic feeling and political comments through such images.
Some of her paintings depict the troubled, tortured and exploited female figures in the patriarchal society through the use of mythical characters, and suggest their possible rebellion against the oppressors. The combination of cool colours creates movement, rhythm and music. She develops a “distinct lyrical style” in her works with the “synthesis of literature and art”. Not only the lines and images but also the colours in her compositions are symbolic, and convey certain message. “The predominance of blue and green in her paintings is an important feature of her style. In most of her well-known canvases blue is used to mark a positive experience. Negative concepts associated with blue such as the blue mood, the dejected mind, and the world of misery, however, sometimes stand at odds with her use of colour. She nevertheless, manages to use blue as an effective symbols of nature and even of optimistic moods.
Denying to remain in commodified and non-existing situation, some women figures open the veil partially and attempt to gaze the dark and dominant patriarchal world in front of them. The dark abstract shapes and colours in front of them symbolically represent the violent, cruel and inhuman patriarchal society. From within the partially opened veil, they show their face suggesting that they also exist and want their place in the society. Their gaze suggests that they are not only the commodity to be exploited by males but also the agents who have the right to see the world and to decide things for themselves. Their not yet fully recognizable semi-abstract faces suggest that they have not been able to carve her place in the society yet, though they have begun their journey for the quest of their identity.
In some works, the distorted female figures throw away their veil, disclose their face fully and look upward. Their assertive figures suggest their potential power within them. They have not been able to carve their space in the society yet. However, they are hopeful and determined to face the challenge and free themselves from the shackles of patriarchy. They are on the process to inscribe the identity of their being.
The dripping of blood from women’s body represents the violence imposed upon her. The falling down of woman figures suggests Nepali women’s degenerated living condition and oppressed social status. The images of broken tree are coherent to the images of wounded female figure. Representing the gruesome situation of Nepali women, the artist questions the authority of patriarchal society.
Born 1950, Kathmandu
Father’s Name: Tej Raj Tiwari
Mother’s Name: Premi Devi Tiwari
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), M.S. University.
Boroda, India 1973
Bachelor of Arts (Tribhuwan University), Nepal 1973
Diploma in French Language (T.U.) Nepal 1975
ACTIVITIES
Member Nepal Association of Fine Arts
Member Young Artist Group (YAG), Nepal
National Art Commissioner Asian Art Exhibition, Dhaka, 1981
Member, NAFA Advisory Committee 1981-1994
Artist International Conference, Japan 1992
GROUP SHOWS
National Art Exhibition, Nepal 1970-1989, 1996,1997-1998, 1999, 2000, 2002–2003
Indian Triennale, Delhi 1977, 1987
Asian Art Exhibition, Fukuoka, Japan 1980, 1985, 1990
Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka 1981,1983,1987,1993,2003
Contemporary-Nepalese Painting, London 1985
Contemporary-Nepalese Painting, Seoul 1986
Malerei Aus Nepal, W. Germany 1988-1993
Siddhartha Art Gallery, 1987, 1988, 1989-1999-2003
Contemporary Women Artist (USIS), Kathmandu 1990
Girl Child in Nepal, 1990
Artist Camp-Goethe Institute, (Kathmandu, 1991)
Bajaj Art Gallery, Bombay 1991
Earth Day Goethe Institute (Kathmandu 1992)
Mandala Artist Camp (Dhulikhel) Goethe Institute 1992
Art Transcends Boundaries, Delhi 1992)
Contemporary Art Exhibition, SAARC Cultural
Festival, India 1992
Nepal Introduction, Calcutta 1993
Art Transcends Boundaries, Bombay 1993
Art Transcends Boundaries, Goa 1993
Art Transcends Boundaries, Calcutta 1994
Winter Flowers, Kathmandu 1995
Four Artists Exhibition, Korea 1995
Lalit Festival Kathmandu 1995
Contemporary Painting Organised By Alliance Francaise 1995
Contemporary Nepalese Art, Germany 1995
Contemporary Nepali Women Artist Show-Sushma Koirala Memorial Fund-1995 Kathmandu
International Art Exhibition, Kathmandu, Nepal 1997
Exhibition of Painting, Kathmandu Art Gallery, 1997
Exposigao International de Arte, Banco do Brasil. 1998
All Nepal-Art Exhibition, Kathmandu 1999
Contemporary Art Show-China 2000
The Heart Show, Kathmandu 1999-2001
Organised by @sian Artist and Agoramax in Rambouillet (France), in the King of Roma Place in Rambouillet 1999-2000
Workshop organized by NAFA at Dhulikhel, 2001
Mithila Yatra Workshop-2002, Janakpur
Reinterpreting Numafung, Gallery Nine, Kathmandu, 2004
Gallery Nine inaugural exhibition, Kathmandu, 2003
Gift of Sight-Art workshop/Exhibition organized by Eye Donation Information Centre-Tilganga, Kathmandu, 2004
Himalayan Express, Painting Exhibition Habitat Centre-Delhi, 2003
Art Walk, Delhi, 2003
Art Walk, Mumbai, 2004
Contemporary Art Exhibition Celebrating King Gyanendra’s Birthday, NAFA, 2004
Contemporary Art Exhibition Nepal Kalakar Samaj, Celebrating King Gyanendra’s Birthday, NAFA, 2005
Contemporary Art Exhibition, National Film Festival (Kathmandu) 2005
Woman Art Exhibition March 8th International Women’s Day 2009
September Collection Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1987 to 2008
Woman Art Exhibition NAFA Kathmandu 2010
SOLO SHOWS
NAFA Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1973 Inaugurated by HM Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah
“Echo of Love”- October Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1982
“Harvest Leaves”- October Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1984
“Foot Marks of Peace”- NAFA Art Gallery, Kathmandu
Inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah 1984
“Intimacy”-October Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1987
“My Earth And Sky”- Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu 1992
“When Seasons Change”- Nepal Art Council Gallery, Kathmandu 1996 Inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah
Two Artists Painting Exhibition, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India, 1997
My Earth: Our Earth Germany 1989
Sunnya Manka Stabdha Aankhaharoo – A Tribute to their late Majesties, NAFA Art Gallery, Kathmandu-2002
AWARDS
Best Artist of the year NAFA Nepal-1981, 1984
Best Prize-Rastriya Sirjanatmak Pariwar, Nepal-1984
3rd Prize-Poem Competition (National Level) Royal Nepal Academy, Kathmandu 1978
2nd Prize-Poem Competition (National Level) Royal Nepal Academy, Kathmandu 1992
Best Artist (Country Wise) International Art Exhibition, Kathmandu 1997
Green Honour 2060- Save the Environment Foundation, Nepal
Prabal Gorkha Dashinbahu 4th 2060
Shree Paanch Birendra Gaddiarohan Rajat Mahotsab Padak
Shree Paanch Birendra Aishwarya Padak
SAARC Padak
Dirgha Sewa Padak (HMG)
Rashtriya Vyaktitwa Samman 2060
Shree Panch Indra Rajya Laxmi Pragnya Puraskar, Royal Nepal Academy 2059
Bishalnagar Library Samman, 2062
Rastriya Prativa Puraskhar 2063
Puran Kumari Kala Tatha Sanskriti Puraskar 2067
ACOUISITIONS
Fukuwoka Asian Art Museum Japan
Private Collections in Nepal & all over the world
Narayanhiti Royal Palace, Kathmandu
October Art Gallery, London
Birendra Art Gallery, Kathmandu
Samjhana Art Gallery, Kualalampur
October Art Gallery, Kathmandu
V.I.P. Room New Terminal Building (Tribhuwan International Airport), Kathmandu
Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu
Birendra International Convention Center, Kathmandu
Russian Cultural Centre, Kathmandu
Nepal Rastra Bank, Kathmandu
Himalayan Bank, Kathmandu
Bank of Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal Telecommunication Building, Pokhara, Nepal
