It is going to be that time of the year once again when contemporary artists from different corners of the world come together to share their work to inspire. The 2nd Kathmandu International Art Festival (KIAF) is scheduled to take off on November 25 and will continue till December 21.
Organised by the non-profit organisation Siddhartha Arts Foundation (SAF), KIAF is a non-commercial event which focuses on contemporary arts’ response to a particular social issue, with the objective of bringing awareness and engaging the audience at a personal level. This edition of the festival has been titled ‘Earth Body Mind’ as the artworks will highlight human beings’ relationship with nature and anthropomorphic forces that have fueled a rapid changing of the climate.
The organizers aim to focus mainly on how Nepal’s fragile and unique ecosystem has been suffering from rising temperatures and change in weather patterns, despite the country not being a global polluter or one of those over exploiting their resources. Hence, they feel responsible to raise a voice and believe the festival is the perfect platform to highlight the issues of climate change since art has the power to heighten sensitivity and to challenge the way we view complex situations.
Besides exhibiting 92 artworks and performances by 100 artists from 31 countries, the event will host symposiums, educational tours, screenings, residencies, workshops and much more during its running. The works in the festival will encompass: paintings, digital prints, photography, new media works, sculpture, installations and performing arts. It will be an event for everyone and the foundation will give special attention to involving Nepali youth and students in the project.
Given the non-profit angle of the event and how ambitious it is, SAF has approached numerous institutions for support and sponsorship and has also been raising fund from general public. The fundraising campaign is still on and those interested are more than welcome to make donations. To help, click here.
