Season of Hope: A Celebration of Life.

I seek refuge in my paintings, poetry and music. And now, more than any when else , I toil to paint about hope. There is so much pain around us at the moment that if we brought it to our artworks now, I am scared we will have nothing else left with us. Unlike the many wonderful artists all around the world, I don’t want to paint about the corona virus, or masks or about the sickness. We know about the virus, we have seen the things it has done to humanity, we have seen the pain. I see no point to create pain again in my artworks. I want my art to be a healer for me and the audience.
My paintings talk about the celebration of life. The diya lightens us. The paper cutouts symbolizes festivity. I grew up in a small town and I used to love these bright paper cutouts in houses especially in Dashain and Tihar.

Today, I want my art to be a celebration of life. I hope we all get out of this craziness soon and get to celebrate love, friendship, relationships, music, the arts, poetry, festivals and culture soon.

Literary:
I have been writing since I was in school and received awards as a child. In 1992 while at college, I won the first prize in a poetry competition organized by The National Television. The contest had more than two thousand entries. 

I have contributed to major papers and journals in the country and The International PEN publications. 

During 2000 – 2001, I wrote a regular column for The Nepal Travel Trade Reporter,
During 2003- 2004, I wrote a regular column for The Mystic Magazine.
During 2004- 2006, I wrote a regular column for The ECS Magazine. 

I have had four collections of poetry published- “But to Dream” (1999), “After Midnight”  (2000), “Fermenting Flowers”(2007) and “Uphill Darjeeling” (2008)

I was invited to participate in the XVII International Poetry Festival of Medellin, Colombia, South America in 2007. The festival is considered one of the largest in the world and has won the Alternative Nobel Prize,2006.

“Mist Around the Stupa”, a collection of my short stories and haiku, published by Chautara Publishing, the Netherlands, was launched in June 2009 and has enjoyed a reprint of the second edition. 

I am the Founder and President of South Asian Poetry Festival For Peace, a poetry festival that takes place in Kathmandu every year (www.southasianpoetry.com)

Art:

I have had over twenty five solo exhibitions of paintings in Nepal alone. My eighth solo exhibition of paintings in 2006 was organized and hosted by The World Bank, Kathmandu, to mark Women’s Day. In 2012, The World Bank, Kathmandu organized and hosted another exhibition in it’s Public Information Office premises.

Some of my exhibitions abroad include:

JULY 2007                            Solo show at the XII International Poetry Festival of  Medellin, Colombia.
AUG – NOV 2006 Solo Show, CHAUTARA gallery, Almere, Netherlands.

MAR – MAY 2007 Chirag Bangdel & Puntsok Tsering, CHAUTARA gallery, Almere, Netherlands
SEP 07 – JAN 2008 Part of Group Show, CHAUTARA gallery, Almere, Netherlands
FEB – MAY 2008 Part of Group Show, CHAUTARA gallery, Almere, Netherlands
JUNE – SEP 2008 Part of Group Show, CHAUTARA gallery, Almere, Netherlands
JUNE – AUG 2009 Chirag Bangdel & Saroj Kushwaha, CHAUTARA dependence, Brueggen, Germany
SEP-OCT 2009 Group show, CHAUTARA dependence, Brueggen, Germany
MAY 2009 Solo exhibition German Nepal Day, Bonn.
12 MAY 2007 Exhibition with Manish Lal Shrestha, Cancer Counseling Center, Almere,  Netherlands.
SEPT 2009 Group exhibition. (with my artworks being the largest in number, 12 pieces ), Monkey Toy House Gallery, Los Angeles, California.
2012             Two exhibitions in Pakistan.
2013             Two exhibitions in Dubai.

Apart from the reviews received in Nepal, my works also enjoyed a five-page feature in the award-winning Dutch magazine, “Happinez”. 

Fifty-three of my paintings have been featured in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 2009 calendar, printed 2000 copies.

Since 2003, I have created a series of installation art called “Experience Red”,  in various venues, where I have shown the futility of violence.

I have been commissioned two times by Wateraid Nepal to create a series of installation art that talk about water and sanitation and women reproductive health.

My paintings have also appeared as cover art in many publications including a major publication in English and Nepali- Women Members of The Constituent Assembly (International Idea, 2011, pages 896) and a bestseller Seto Dharti  ( a novel by Amar Neupane which received the prestigious Madan Puraskar award)

In 2017, I was commissioned to create a series of paintings which were a major part of “Bodhi Chhaaya” an artistic, cultural extravaganza, combining theater, dance, music and other forms of arts. “Bodhi Chhaaya” is scheduled to be staged everyday for the next five years in Nepal and abroad.

Radio:
I have been a radio presenter and producer for more than fifteen years. I have been working for a private radio station called Image f.m. 97.9, considered one of the most listened to radio stations in the country. At the moment I produce and host three shows a week. I have also been appreciated for “Voices in the Dark”, a radio play I wrote and directed in 2003.

Television:
During 2000-2001 I hosted a talk show on The National Television called “a.m. Guest”.
During 2002-2003 I worked as a senior producer for Channel Nepal.
I have also freelanced as a producer for Young Asia Television, a South Asian network, for over four years. 

Others:
I have been actively involved in the promotion of arts and literature. I regularly get invited to schools and colleges where I talk about art appreciation. My paintings and poetry have been reviewed by papers, journals, magazines, the radio and the television. I have been featured as “Young Achiever” by The Infotiser Magazine  and Wave Magazine