The Living Traditions Museum: Repousse Practiced by The Newar's of The Kathmandu Valley

Soon to be established at the Living Traditions Museum, at Changu Narayan, will be a ten stage installation of the repousse process by Rabindra Shakya from the atelier of Raj Kumar Shakya of Patan. Grandson of the famous repousse artist Kuber Singh Shakya, Raj Kumar, Rabindra, Rajendra and his family continue to practice this ancient art form which can be traced back to Mesopotamia, 2600 bce. Since coming back from Bhutan where he completed a 155' repousse image of Guru Rimpoche at Takilia, Lhuntche Dzong, Raj Kumar hasn't missed a step. He's opened a repousse training center and is working closely with his atelier to complete the works for the LTM for it's opening of gallery 2, on Sept 6, 2014.
Raj Kumar, belongs to the ethnic group called Newars who have a long history of decorating the monasteries of it's neighboring countries of Tibet, China, Bhutan and here in Nepal as well. As early as the mid-7th century exemplified by the rich wood carvings at the Jokhang (Potala Palace) in Lhasa attests to their early contributions to Tibetan art that the Newars have played throughout centuries of trade with Tibet. It's now well know that early in Tibet's history there was established a "Newar School of Tibetan Art" that still continues here in the Kathmandu Valley.
Raj Kumar has expanded the appreciation of Newar Art to all corners of the world and following in the footsteps of Arniko (1245-1306), who most famously became the head of the court artisans for Kublai Khan, is bringing Newar art to a new level of appreciation into the 21st century. I know of no other culture in the world that has a continuum of artistic traditions that date back to nearly 2,000 years that is as culturally and artistically rich as the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley.
James Giambrone's 35+ years of experience working with the traditional arts of the Kathmandu valley is the curator, photographer and designer of this exhibition. James also performed these same services for the Patan Museum technology section in Gallery G.
For more information visit the site www.livingtradi...