Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Bhaktapur-Nice Art Galleries with a Lack of Silence

I have to admit I miss the galleries of New York City. The galleries of New York are always changing with classic artists to modern ones with a new exhibit every week or even day. The one word I miss about the New York galleries is: silence. When New Yorkers look at art they are well aware of the do’s and don’ts in galleries. They are aware of the most important word-silence.

Walking around in the galleries in Bhaktapur, there is not acknowledgement of silence and taking in the beauty of the art. Sometimes I like to sit for five minutes, ten minutes in front of just one painting with not one word spoken. In India and Nepal, this is clearly not the case. In these galleries of Bhaktapur, they are desperate for business so they just keep talking to you and being nice so they can sell something. They do not allow you to experience any peace rather they are asking you which one you want to buy. An art gallery where I absolutely loved the acrylic paintings, the use of color, and the portrayal of the female body and the powerful element that comes through the photo. The women just kept telling me which ones to buy instead of letting me spend time observing and learning about her husband(the artist's vision and inspiration). It makes me sad that I can not buy the 10,000 Nepali rupee painting she would like me to buy, but this is life. She actually follows me out of the shop with another painting of my interest inside her hand shouting out lower prices.  I just say, "Sorry" and keep walking.  

Another gallery is the same situation with a loud Nepali man who keep asking me to buy except these are classic Tibetan Buddhism paintings.  A girl sits painting a masterpiece.  I ask her how long it takes to finish and she says,"Six months." Can you imagine working on one painting for six months. The galleries were special in Bhaktapur, but just need acknowledgement of my favorite word lately: silence.

No comments:

Post a Comment