Following the Paris incident, Neon Bodhi, a Nepali artist has illuminated Nepal’s Ghanta Ghar in the French tricolour in a gesture of solidarity. Several of the world’s most famous buildings showed solidarity with tricolour illumination in past few days.
Ghanta Ghar is one of the iconic monuments in the city of Kathmandu, Nepal.
The artist notes the illumination as an expression of solidarity for humanity, and against violence.
Title: PARIS TO PARSA
Artist: NEON BODHI (@NeonBodhi on Instagram and Twitter)
Medium: Colored Light installation at Ghantaghar, Kathmandu.
Curator: City Museum Kathmandu
Here’s the complete artist’s Statement:
If we choose to find differences and amplify them, then we will succeed easily in that endeavor but at the cost of failing as people and societies. If we find commonalities and lend ourselves to our humanity, we will win as people, as societies. The clock keeps ticking.
When news of the Paris attacks broke, naturally I too was immediately moved and wanted to express my reaction to it. But I was not sure how, until I saw these tweets by the progressive Nepali political leader Gagan Thapa:
There is no defense for extremism's cowardly but lethal hateful violence against innocents, in #Paris or any of our communities.
— Gagan Thapa (@thapagk) November 14, 2015
एमालेको मधेस दृष्टिकोण प्रति विमति छ।पर्साको एमालेकार्यालयमा मोर्चाका कार्यकर्ताहरुले गरेको आगजनी जस्तो अपराधिक हर्कत प्रति त झन कडा विमति छ
— Gagan Thapa (@thapagk) November 14, 2015
Inspired by those two tweets, Paris to Parsa, a simple installation art exhibition on Ghantaghar clock tower, is not just in solidarity with the city of Paris but rather an expression of solidarity for humanity, against violence.
The colors – blue, white, red – are shared by flags of both France and Nepal. To me, these are colors that are shades of peace, space for peace, and shades of blood that we share, respectively.
– @NeonBodhi
November 14, 2015.
My #ParisToParsa installation, inspired by @thapagk. Statement: https://t.co/glgtbuBgbP #Kathmandu #Nepal #Paris🙏🏼✌🏼 pic.twitter.com/pdCimzW664
— Neon Bodhi (@NeonBodhi) November 15, 2015
City Museum Kathmandu: Curator’s Note: We had been working on a different exhibition for Neon Bodhi in Nepal when the Paris attacks happened and the artist wanted to do something around but beyond just it.
Image and Note via The City Museum Kathmandu Facebook Page.