Biography of artist Gopal Kalapremi
The
Unrevealed Facts
It is not easy to say about self. I
reckon with astonishment that how I was inseparably clinged to the art. Then
possibly I was in class 4 or 5 , one day I happened to peep a friend of mine in
our tution class imitating an illustration from a text book. Later I do not
know what inspired me too pursue his path. After a few attempts I too could
copy the illustrations more exactly. I used to show my drawings to the student
friends of my class. There was a drawing teacher named Ram Behari Das in our
school. He happened to see my drawings and portrait sketches. On my request he
agreed to teach me drawing and painting. He imparted me the knowledge of
drawing and painting based on subjects and portraits in water color and oil
painting . I created many drawings and paintings when I was in class 9 and 10 .
When I was in I. A. 1st year I could paint Life size oil painting portrait
of King Mahendra in Royal Robes which adorned the wall of the library of
mahendra Morang College for a few years. Nearly everybody commended the work. I
had an unsatiable passion and dream to be a good artist. So on holidays I used
to paint from 6 am to 6 pm. In 2020 I was in Kathmandu for appearing in my
intermediate examinarion. That time I had chanced to apply and appear in an
interview for the scholarship to study fine arts at J. J. School of arts in
Bombay. Durga Baral, Shyam Lal Shresta, late Indra Pradhan , myself and others had
appeared in the interview. Indra Pradhan was selected. Don’t know how I was
placed in second or alternative position? I was dejected. Dejected because I
myself could not afford to be admitted
in such institution and the opportunity at hand had crossed the horizon. Then
one of the interviewer Shree Kali Das Shrestha ,the teacher of the Juddha Kala
Pathsala appreciating my artworks advised me to visit Juddha Kala Pathasala at
Bhotahity and observe there. I visited there and worked 2 or3 days with the
students of 3rd year. I myself as well as Kalidas sir were satisfied
. He advised me to meet L. S. Bangdel. I visited him. He instilled in me many
instructions and experiences . In the same year, that is 2020 B.S. an
exhibition of figurative and modern paintings of Indian artists of Benares was
being held in Morang College Hall, where I had chanced to display my artworks,
one composition and two portraits. I was encouraged. By that time I was a
regular buyer of Indian popular magazines “ Dharmayug” and “ The Illustrated
Weekly of India” and by reading articles about art and observing the
illustrations of paintings printed therein I could add much more to my
knowledge and skill about art. In the year 2023 B.S. I was appointed as a
teacher in Biratnagar and had to join a 9 months vocational teacher’s training
program at Sano Thimi, Kathmandu. That 9 month’s Period provided me with many
opportunities and proved to be a boon to my life . Unbelievably my substanscial
article on Modern Art was published in renowned national news paper The Gorkha
Patra. I had the opportunity to be introduced with the first Nepali Modern
Artist mr Gehendra Man Amatya. He offered me the primary knowledge about doing
modern art . I followed his instruction and marched on a new path. From the
very beginning I had the passion to enhance my theoretical and practical
knowledge about art. Now the opportunity had approached near me . I had the
priviledge to be the member of British and American Library and could borrow 2
books on art at a time from both the libraries. At home I used to make
theretical notes and practice the arts as written and demonstrated in those art
books. Thus I could learn and practice a lot about still life, composition,
landscape,figure drawing, water colour painting, oil painting, and modern art
without studying in art school. Thus the agony of being deprived of the opportunity to study fine arts in 2020
was washed away to a great extent by the self study and experience during the 9
months stay in Kathmandu. In 2024/25 I received the membership to Nepal
Association of Fine Arts (NAFA) and initiated to participate in national
exhibitions. In 2024, 2025, and 2026 I displayed my solo painting exhibitions
at Balmandir, Biratnagar every year. I
held one solo exhibition at NAFA, Naxal, Kathmandu also in 2031. In 2027
I had the privilege to serve as the secretary to Nepal Association of Fine Arts
Koshi Zonal branch in Biratnagar. At that time a contemporary Nepali art exhibition was organized at Bal Mandir
and King Mahendra had graced to open the exhibition. Being the NAFA branch
secretary I had the opportunity to explain to the King about the displayed
artworks one by one. In 2028 I arranged solo exhibition of Indra Pradhan in
Biratnagar and I had the opportunity to write a review article about his
paintings which was published in Madhupark. This was my second article about art published in our
prestigious National magazine. My intimacy with Indra Pradhan brought me closer
to most Senior artist L. S. Bangdel , art critic Narayan Bahadur Singh and to many
other advanced artists of that time . After NAFA was merged in academy Lalit
Kala Sangam was organized by us in Biratnagar.The web page or the face book
account of LKS speaks itself about the institution and us. Although I have not displayed my solo
exhibition for a long time but I have been taking part in many group
exhibitions and national exhibitions.So
far as my best moment is concerned it was the year 2045 when I had the
opportunity to represent Nepal in the prepatory conference of the third Asian Art
Show, Fukuoka, Japan. My most hard times were the days when I had to spend my
time in teaching at a high school and campuses,for which I had to devote my
time from 6 am to 4 pm. and 8 to 10 pm.
0 Reviews:
Thank You For Comments !