Art exhibition 'Ekadeshma' explores emigration's emotional toll

Kabir Kayastha, a graduate of Kathmandu University School of Arts, is showcasing his printmaking works at Sashi’s Art Studio in an exhibition titled ‘Ekadeshma.’ The exhibition, part of the studio’s annual student showcase, delves into the emotional and cultural consequences of emigration, a theme deeply felt in Nepal.

Kayastha draws inspiration from cultural elements and Newa folklore, specifically the vanishing figure of ‘Khyah,’ to represent the silence left by friends and fellow citizens who migrate. His art uses passports as a recurring symbol, prompting viewers to contemplate identity, migration, and the emotional void experienced when people depart their homeland. The meticulous linocut technique employed in his work highlights the labor involved in addressing this sensitive subject.

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As an artist, watching friends migrate feels similar to the story of Khyah vanishing. Their absence creates silence in everyday rituals, jokes and spontaneous chaos.

Alongside Kayastha’s pieces, the exhibition features collaborative works by other students from Sashi Art Studio under the theme ‘Nirantarata.’ Samjhana Rajbhandari, the founder of Sashi’s Art Studio, emphasized the importance of such initiatives in encouraging young artists. The studio actively provides a platform for emerging talent and offers scholarships to deserving fine arts students through the Shree Bidhya Dhis Rajbhandari award, honoring Rajbhandari’s late father.

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Conducting our annual exhibitions of aspiring student artists is a way to encourage them and their work. I think this kind of initiative could be taken by other small art studios as well.