Preserving a Legacy

The exhibition Preserving a Legacy tells two stories: first, the story of the legacy of four generations of the Chitrakar family as artists and documentarians and second, the story of preserving the cultural legacy in Nepal through a decade long conservation work and scientific research carried out by the Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna.

‘Chitrakars’ - meaning ‘painters’ - have a long history of working in this traditional medium. They learned their painting skills under the tutelage of their fathers but with the advent of photography in Nepal, many Chitrakars began to incorporate this means of expression into their repertoire. The paintings and photographs showcased in this exhibition capture Nepal’s political history, culture and heritage, daily life and court lifestyle and the transformation of sites. The images give us a glimpse of the past and present in Nepal and how generations have lived.
Subsequent to the agreement between the governments of Austria and Nepal, the Institute of Conservation under the leadership of Gabriela Krist has contributed to the preservation of the cultural heritage at the Patan Durbar Square and Royal Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, since 2010. With financial support of the ADA, the BMEIA, the BKA, the EPU and the University, a wide range of cultural heritage have been treated in close collaboration with the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust and local craftsmen. The safeguarding and conservation of damaged monuments after the earthquake in 2015 is still ongoing and constitute a major undertaking by the Institute.

Historical photographs such as those of the Chitrakar family build an important basis for these efforts and leave us a rich visual legacy as a source of information for preservation, conservation and research.
 
Preserving a Legacy: Four Generations of Nepali Artists
Curator: Cristeena Chitrakar
Photographers: Dirgha Man Chitrakar, Ganesh Man Chitrakar, Kiran Man Chitrakar, Swaraj Man Chitrakar
Preserving a Legacy: The Institute of Conservation in Patan, Nepal
Curators: Gabriela Krist, Martina Haselberger, Thomas Schrom
Photographers: Institute of Conservation (staff and students)
 
Exhibition Design: Georg Schrom, Nikolay Hristov Ivanov, Manfred Trummer
University Gallery/Exhibition Management: Christian Schneider, Benedikt Fritz
Exhibition Coordinator: Thomas Schrom

Exhibition Period: 22.03.-12.04.2019 (Wednesday to Saturday, 2 – 6 p.m.)

MORE ABOUT NEPAL?

Visit the Exhibition Nepal Art Now in the Weltmuseum Wien!
Duration: 11.04.-06.11.2019
Venue: Weltmuseum Wien, Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna

More information here.
https://www.weltmuseumwien.at/en/exhibitions/nepal-art-now/