An art exhibition titled Celebrating the Trans-Himalayan Bond: Ink Wash Paintings on Nepal and China kicked off on Sunday at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal, Kathmandu. The event, organised by the Siddhartha Arts Foundation, was inaugurated by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal, Wu Chuntai.

The exhibition was organised to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Sino-Nepal relationship.

The Chinese ambassador said, “The relationship between Nepal and China is higher than the Himalayas. The magnificent paintings illustrate the ever so strong relationship and friendship between the two countries.”

Zhan Jianqiu, the Chinese artist whose works were on display, said, “I was always fascinated by the Nepali landscape; it pushed me to come up with the creations in this exhibition.” The opening ceremony was preceded by a presentation on the comparison and contrast between Nepali and Chinese architecture. The presentation was done by Professor Eugene Geinzer, from The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies.

Speaking during the event, he said, “I took great delight in seeing the extraordinarily creative architecture that Nepal has. The mountains have charmed me,” said Professor Eugene Geinzer.

In his presentation, presenter Geinzer explored the nuances of Chinese and Nepali architecture, and the intricate details of Nepali architecture. Satyamohan Joshi, chairman of the Nepal Art Council, said, “We are honoured to host such dynamic paintings by a Chinese artist in Nepal.”

The exhibition will run till Oct 18. The paintings will later be exhibited at the National Museum of China, Beijing.