Biography of artist Gopal Kalapremi





Biography

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.



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