Ragini CV July 2008

Ragini – oil painter and print maker

Education

1982- Graduated in Fine Arts from Arts and Crafts College, Lucknow (India).

1983-1985 - Studied the print’s techniques at the Artist Corner-Lalit Kala Academy, Garhi, New Delhi (India)

11-1987 to 03-1988 - Fellowship sponsored by the British Council in Peacock Printmaker in Aberdeen (Scotland) and 3 months in Oxford Printmaker (England),

10-1989 to 03-1990 - 5 months course at the Künste Akademy of Stuttgard sponsored by the German-Nepal help Association,.

Professional appointment

1992, 1994, 1996 - Guest Artist at the Radier Werkstadt, Kampen (Germany).

April-May 1996 - Visiting lecturer at the Lahti’s Fine Art Institute and Türku Fine Art Institute (Finland).

1996 - Visiting Lecturer at Indus school of Art. Karachi. Pakistan

1998,1999- Visiting lecturer at the Helsingborg Museum, Sweden.

2006, 2007 - Visiting Lecturer at Karachi school of Arts and School of Art and Design , Jamshoro, Pakistan

Member of BP Koirala Foundation since 2006

Solo exhibitions

1979	National Association of Fine Art, Kathmandu in the presence of late poet Bal Krishna Sharma
1980	Royal Nepal Airlines, Kathmandu
1981	October Gallery, Vajera Hotel, Kathmandu
1981	Fine Art Academy of Lucknow (India).Sponsored by Lalit Kala Academy of Lucknow and opened by late B.P. Koirala
1982	Morya Hotel, Patna (India).
1983	Fine Art Academy of India, Ravindra Bhawan (New Delhi), sponsored by the Nepalese Embassy in India.
1985	October Gallery in Vajera Hotel, Kathmandu.
1986	National Association of Fine Art, Kathmandu, opened by her Majesty the Queen of Nepal
1987	October Gallery in Vajera Hotel, Kathmandu.
1988	British Council Hall, Kathmandu, inaugurated by the Prime Minister Mr Marish Man Singh.
1989	Deutsch-Nepalischen Hilfgemeinschaft, Stuttgart(Germany).
1990	Goethe Institute , Frankfurt (Germany), guests of honours : the Consul of Nepal in Frankfurt and late Mrs Busak
1990	Goethe Institute , Schwabish Hall (Germany)
1990	Goethe Institute , Kathmandu opened by the Prime Minister Mr Krishna Prashad Bhattrai
1991	Shimba Gallery at Tokoshima (Japan)
1991	Ujuka Gallery at Naruto (Japan)
1991	Hananj restaurant and gallery at Kamojima (Japan)
1992	British Council Hall , Kathmandu
1992	Galerie Art du Temps, Verviers (Belgium)
1992	Galerie Eglau, Radier Werkstadt, at Kampen (Germany)
1994	French Cultural Centre, Kathmandu, & Galerie Eglau, Radier Werkstadt, at Kampen (Germany) title : « Politics, Dust and Love»
1994	Gallery Gamlastan, Helsingborg (Sweden)
1995	National Fine Art Association, Kathmandu, title : « The Myth of Politics »
1995	Gallery S, Eupen (Belgium)
1996	Gallery Joella, Türku (Finland) title : « Windows »
1996	Majuma Art Gallery, Karachi (Pakistan)
1997	Goethe Institute, Kathmandu, “Goddesses and Women, Mythology and Reality”
1997	Grand Hotel, Taipei (Taiwan), as part the YWCA World Meeting on “Violence Against Women”
1998	Gallery Oljemark, Helsinki, sponsored by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nepal Finland Society
1998	Gallery Harmaja, Oulu (Finland) sponsored by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1998	Gallery Bellange, Atelje, Stockholm, Sweden
1999	Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, “Sensitive Women”
2001	Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, “Ragini’s Odissey 2001” inaugurated by her Majesty the Queen of Nepal
2001	Studio am Schlob, Berlin
2001	Atelier S, Eupen, Belgium – Inaugurated by H.E. K.P. Shrestha Ambassador of Nepal to the EU
2002	The Sun never dies, Buddha lights and Truth Shines – Kathmandu Sep 2002 – Schorndorf (Germany Sep 2002) - Zielona Gora (Poland)
2003	Permanent display at the International Club – Sanepa – Nepal
2003	Rotary Club, Halle, Belgium
2004	Permanent display at the « GALLERY MOKSH » - Jamsikhel – Lalitpur – Nepal
2005	Time Wheel at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu
2006	Time Wheel at the Academy of Fine Art and Literature, New Delhi sponsored ICCR
2006	Time Wheel at the ICCR Gallery, Hyderabad, India
2006	People’s Power at Nafa Art Gallery Kathmandu, opened dpty Prime Minister KP Oli
2007	Sound of Love at Majmua Art Gallery, Karachi Pakistan & Art Shop, Kathmandu
2007	People Power - Culture House ( Manufaktur ) Shorndorf, Germany
2008	Venetian Multiveral Academy, Stoss im Himmel Vienna, Austria
2009	Love in the Air, Siddartha Art Gallery , Kathmandu , Nepal.

Group exhibitions

Kathmandu : 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989,1999
Calcutta (India) : 1980
Madras (India) : 1980
Srinagar (India) : 1980
Tokoshima (Japan) : 1988
Arijiano (Italy) : 1990
Luxembourg : 1992
Liège (Belgium) : 1992
Eupen (Belgium) 1994
Lahti (Finland) : 1996

2007 – GALLERY OPEN EYE, Edinburgh , Scotland , U. K.

2007 - KUNSCENTRUM HAARLEM – Haarlem, Netherlands.

2007 - SIDDARTHA ART GALLERY - Kathmandu, Nepal,

2008 - JAMSHORO School of Art and Design Gallery – Jamshoro – Pakistan

International exhibitions

International Biennial, Lubjiana (ex Yugoslavia), 1983.
International Print Graphic Exhibition, Rafi Marg, New Delhi, 1983 and 1984.
International Asian Biennial, Dhaka (Bangladesh) 1983.
British International Print Biennial, Cardwright Hall, Bradford (England) 1986, Osaka Triennial 1991.

Prizes and awards

National Exhibition Prize (Nepal) 1979, 1985, 1988.
Kate and Robert Wilson Prize, Bradford (UK) 1986.
Birendra Aswaria Memorial Medal Kathmandu 2002.

Present in official collections

Bradford Museum, UK., SARC building, Kathmandu, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Tribhuvan Airport, VVIP room, Kathmandu. Nepal Television Office, Kathmandu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other governement Offices, Kathmandu, Fine Art Academy, Lucknow, India, King Birendra Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan.

Present in private collections

In Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA.

Contact

Ragini Upadhyay - Grela

Balkot – 1/110, Bhaktapur
Nepal

ragini@mos.com.np

tel : +977 1 6630335

Mobile : +977 98510 52244

VISIT MY WEB SITE : http:\\ragini-art.com

Love in the air 2008

Love in the Air 2008 - Mixed media etching prints and acrylic paintings on traditional Tanka canevasses with real gold paint.

This series is produced during 2008. It is strongly inspired by my recent trips to Europe which have marked my mind with places and communication habits. The omnipresence of computers, mobile phones, PDA are for me a great opportunity for lovers to exchange feelings and emotions. There is a magic in the air which makes it full of messages and vibration. The reference to famous landmarks such Taj Mahal, Eifel tower or the Statue of Liberty express my perception of the global culture, global village, global background for Love. I visited many of these landmarks and monuments. I also replace some of the traditional attributes of Hindu Goddesses such as Laxmi or Sarwasti with the modern tools of knowledge and financial power.Lotus, clubs, bows are replaced by mobile phone and computers who are so much entering our lifes and transforming the Love and Power game. I like also to mix East & West references because the deep cross fertilisation between Asian and European culture is a fact of my personal life. I studied in Germany and UK, traveled all over Europe and married a Belgian man but I still enjoy my life in Nepal. For these canvasses, I have used a traditional Tanka painting technique with real gold & silver paint.

Hereafter a few clues to decrypt the symbols that I use in the pictures.

Lotus – Symbol of Purity, Education, wisdom.

Horse – Symbol of Feeling and active movement.

Eye - Symbol of Sensitiveness.

Third eye – Symbol of our own soul.

Wire – Symbol of Connection.

Deer - Symbol of heart and mind. jump in a same way as deer.

Flower – Symbol of Love.

Elephant – Symbol of Power.

Bull - Symbol of boldness and assertiveness.

Bird – Symbol of Freedom and unlimited travel.

Tortoise – Symbol of Patience.

Moon – Symbol of Romance.

Clouds – Symbol of Dream.

Colors symbols

Pink – Symbol of Romance.

Sky Blue – Symbol of Freedom and openness.

White – Symbol of Peace.

Gold – valuable and Unique.

Green – Symbol of Positive & Nature

Red - Symbol of Warmth, Excitement, Attraction, Passion .

Purple – Symbol of Mystery.

Yellow – light , sun.

For a full gallery just click here

Time Series slideshow

The Time Series is a reflection about the absolute power of Time. The irreversible ticking of the clock is unbeatable. Powerful people of the present and the past had to learn that rule too.




An other copy is available on YouTube

You may also visit the Picasa Gallery :
http://picasaweb.google.com/ragini.grela/TimeSeries

and http://ragini-art.com

People Power 2006 a new slideshow

The compilation of prints is inspired by the popular uprising in Kathmandu during April 2006. It overturned the one man rule imposed by King Gyanendra and restored the parliament prerogatives




An extra copy of the slideshow is available on YouTube

You may also have a look at the Picasa Gallery : http://picasaweb.google.com/ragini.grela/PeoplePower2006

and visit http://ragini-art.com

New dowload for "Let them bark" documentary

I am extremely honored that Emma Cott and Adrianne Koteen have produced a 10 minutes documentary about my work. It was done during the early winter of 2006 and is entitled "Let them bark".






It is quite good and you can download it.
For those with patience or a good bandwidth, there is a mp4 version (42 Mb) at the following URL : http://www.adrive.com/public/22130262f942f3a4bb0a0e0f39e06f8d4cd9bfe01e0103442298433150a91165.html

You should also visit the presentation of the movie on Emma and Adrienne documentary page. You will find there a button to view the streamlined movie.

Enjoy.

Art for Martyrs' Sake

This is a nice article written about the "People Power 1990-2006" exhibit.

Click here to download the full article

People Power in Schorndorf - Germany

VERNISSAGE –

Ragini Upadhdaya - Grela / People Power

30. November 2007 | 20.30 Uhr


Grußwort des Oberbürgermeisters von Schorndorf, Herrn Matthias Klopfer

Einführende Worte von Sabine Reichle-Nolle

Es sind vor allem drei Bereiche, zu denen die bekannte nepalische Künstlerin arbeitet: Die Kraft des Weiblichen, die Beschwörung des Friedens und der politische Machtkampf.

Letzterer ist ihr Thema in den Materialdrucken dieser Ausstellung. Die Arbeiten entstanden angesichts der bis heute dauernden Auseinandersetzung zwischen dem ungeliebten König, den traditionellen politischen Parteien und den allgegenwärtigen Maoisten in Nepal.

Aber nicht die politischen Programme interessieren die Künstlerin, sondern die Psychologie der politischen Akteure. Ihren Ehrgeiz, ihr Streben nach Macht stellt sie – manchmal fast karikierend – dar.

Während ihre Formsprache stark von der europäischen Malerei beeinflusst ist (Ragini studierte Kunst u.a. in Stuttgart) greift ihre Symbolik die alten Mythen ihrer Heimat auf: z.B. wenn Ravana, der 10-köpfige Dämon, für den Politiker steht, dessen wahres Gesicht man nie kennt, oder der Stier für das nepalische Volk, das zwar lange braucht, bis es sich in Bewegung setzt, dann aber kaum aufzuhalten ist.

The pictures are here

More about Ragini on : www.ragini-art.com

Schorndorf exhibition is open

Club Manufaktur in Schorndorf hosts the "People Power" series until the 15/12/2007

The mayor of the city of Schorndorf , Mr. Matthias Klopfer has inaugurated the exhibition and was presented a Nepali topi.

An other prominent guest was the Director of Kulture house, Schorndorf , Ms . Sabine Reichle – Nolle .

Both speakers have presented the artist and the work exhibited with details and an elaborate understanding of the Nepalese context. This proves how much art and artists act as a bridge between culture and countries.

A recent video documentary about Ragini's work has also been displayed during the inauguration ceremony. The video entitle "Let them bark" highlight the social and cultural depth of the artist's message.

The "People Power" series is a tribute to the popular uprising which restored democratic rule in Nepal in April 2006 often referred as the Andolan 2.

The "People Power " series is available on the Picasa Gallery, just clik here

The video documentary is available on : http://www.ironweedfilms.com/films/letthembark

More background information is available on : www.ragini-art.com

My exhibition in Edinburgh has closed

My group show with

Nan Mulder, Gea Karhof,and Seema Sharma Shah

at Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh

The exhibition started on 10th of November 2007. It is a great success with many works sold.

The show is named : Double Vision

It runs from 10th to 28th November 2007

Some more photos are available on my Picasa Gallery just click here

The Open Eye Gallery has a small page with my work, click here to see it but I exhibit more works as show on my gallery RaginiForScotland2007


The second show is in Schorndorf, near Stuttgart, in Germany from the 30th of November to the 14th of December.

The venue is called the Manufaktur and their web site is :
http://www.club-manufaktur.de/

I am very thrilled to meet new people in Scotland and hope to enjoy the reunion with many old friends in Germany.

There is more information about my acquaintance with Germany on my web site in my "German story" pages.

Click here for the "People's Power" gallery.

Some articles about my exhibitions are published in the Kathmandu Post

Ragini

Exhibition in Europe November & December 2007

It will start with a group show with

Nan Mulder, Gea Karhof,and Seema Sharma Shah

at Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh

the show is named : Double Vision, it runs from 10th to 28th November 2007


The Open Eye Gallery has a small page with my work, click here to see it but I plan to exhibit more works as show on my gallery RaginiForScotland2007


The second show is in Schorndorf, near Stuttgart, in Germany from the 30th of November to the 14th of December.

The venue is called the Manufaktur and their web site is :
http://www.club-manufaktur.de/

I am very thrilled to meet new people in Scotland and hope to enjoy the reunion with many old friends in Germany.

There is more information about my acquaintance with Germany on my web site in my "German story" pages.

Click here the "People's Power" gallery.

Ragini

People's Power 1990-2006

For a man fully uneducated in any of the art forms, I had the good fortune of coming across Ragini Upadhyay Grela some ten years ago. In fact, I had sought her out – for a special reason. Tired of speaking to and hearing one another in various regional seminars and dialogues, some of us in the “South Asian civil society” thought of the possibility and the value of bringing together a special group of people to see how creative imagination addresses the social themes engaging our minds at the time. Accordingly, in Dhaka in February 1997, South Asian women and men representing different art forms including literature, the theatre, performing arts and painting and sculpture assembled to make their presentations and share ideas and imaginations on such enduring themes as women in society, social justice and fundamentalism and communalism. Raginiji was there from Nepal and she did us proud. She left lasting impression with the assembled South Asian community with her presentation and paintings on the theme of women and freedom.

Through her series of paintings including Samaya Chakra Raginiji has shown how her journey in “arts for life’s sake” continues merrily. Happily for all of us, she did not shy away from making her presence felt also in the street as we campaigned peacefully for Loktantra. In the current series of her paintings, she has now ably captured for us the soul and the might of the people’s power that is transforming Nepali politics and society for good. That she has decided to donate a substantial part of the sale proceeds to the families of the martyrs in Nepal’s democratic movement speaks volumes on how Raginiji thinks about her work and the lives of the Nepali people.

Devendra Raj Panday

Citizens’ Movement for Democracy and Peace

Click here to see the pictures of "People's Power 1990-2006"

The exhibition was very succesful and was opened by Dpty Prime Minister K.P. Oli, click here for the picture

NEW! Let Them Bark: A Portrait of the Artist Ragini (10 min)

I am extremely honored that Emma Cott and Adrianne Koteen have produced a 10 minutes documentary about my work. It was done during the early winter of 2006 and is entitled "Let them bark".

It is quite good and you can click here to download it (22 MB) It is a Flash Video file (flv) so you need an adequate player. ( to get one you may visit http://applian.com/flvplayer/)

For those with patience or a good bandwidth, there is a mp4 version (42 Mb) at the following URL : http://www.adrive.com/public/22130262f942f3a4bb0a0e0f39e06f8d4cd9bfe01e0103442298433150a91165.html

You should also visit the presentation of the movie on Emma and Adrienne documentary page. You will find there a button to view the streamlined movie.

My fully structured web site is http://ragini-art.com and a lot of my works are displayed on http://picasaweb.google.com/ragini.grela