The Himalayan Art Award was established in December 2008 by Margie Thomas. She established the award in memory of her close personal friend and renowned travel artist Murray Zanoni, a friend of the Australian Himalayan Foundation (AHF) who had visited and sketched in the Himalaya on a number of occasions. It was a way of honoring Murray and his wishes to support young artists who might struggle to find the time and/or resources to express their talent. Margie has close ties both professionally and personally with Nepal and couldn’t think of a better place to kick-start the Art Award.
With the invaluable assistance and guidance of Ms. Sangeeta Thapa, Director and Curator of Siddhartha Gallery and a driving force in the art scene in Kathmandu, two young Nepalese artists were interviewed, selected, and granted the award. The inaugural award was established by Murray’s estate to encourage and enable these young artists to continue their art and allow time to focus on producing a body of work.
Integral to the award was an obligation by the artist(s) to donate to the AHF one major and one minor work, which was auctioned at a fundraising evening in Australia. The funds raised from the auction were then allocated to sponsor the award the following year. Therefore, the award has been self-sustaining. This year the AHF has found a benefactor interested in the arts, who is sponsoring the award in 2025.
Sangeeta Thapa
Founder Director
Artist Statement
This series, a tapestry woven with threads of deep emotional bonds, captures the poignant experiences of grandmothers as I have felt them. Though their ways of life are mirrored reflections, their journeys through time are uniquely their own. With an insatiable curiosity about these journeys, I have endeavoured to tell their tales through the lens of the imagination. These grandmothers lived lives of simplicity and contentment, deeply rooted in family and ceaselessly occupied with its care.
In the twilight of their years, they converse quietly with their own souls, reflecting on unfulfilled emotional longings that dwell only in the realm of their fantasies. In my artistic renderings, I perceive them seeking a place within the familial tapestry they once wove so meticulously, giving voice to their dreams and desires in the fragments of their memories.
These narratives breathe new life into ancient miniature paintings, serving as symbols of memories and aspirations. Through these delicate brushstrokes, their emotions are revered, and they are celebrated as the storytellers they have always been.
Muna Bhadel
Visual Artist
