NEPAL TODAY. In the Forest in the Villages
11/6/2026 - 30/8/2026
From 11 June to 30 August 2026, the Sala del Capitano della Rocca is hosting an exhibition dedicated to contemporary Nepalese photography.
Whilst in the West photography seems to have lost its way, drowned in the endless production of Instagrammed images and rendered a hybrid of its origins by the exponential rise of digital technology over the past two decades, in the Global South, the language of images and the social responsibility of the photographer are more relevant today than ever before.
Much of the work produced by contemporary Nepalese artists stems precisely from this kind of exploration. They investigate change and what it means to live and exist within a young democracy.
The sense of a desire for redress against the ruling classes and social injustice is more alive than ever among all the younger generations, including artists.
It should therefore come as no surprise that the practice of photography is so widespread, for example, on the Indian subcontinent, with centres of excellence such as the Pathshala Institute in Dhaka, Bangladesh, whose photography, film and television departments welcome students from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. The centre, directed by Shahidul Alam, is also the point of reference for the three Nepalese photographers featured in the exhibition: Uma Bista, Kishor Sharma and Sagar Chhetri (the latter having trained at the Pathshala Institute).
The bold and independent development of contemporary art in Nepal has led, in recent years, to the gradual emergence of a vibrant and influential scene, one that has successfully collaborated with leading international institutions such as the Sharjah Foundation, the Venice Biennale and the Sydney Biennale, as well as various institutions across the Indian subcontinent.
The biennial Photo Kathmandu festival, the Nepal Picture Library and the Photo Circle centre stand as testament to this. The festival is now an unmissable event in the subcontinent’s visual arts scene, a meeting point and forum for exchange on a par with the biennials in India, Bangladesh or Pakistan. Furthermore, Nepal’s geographical location has unexpectedly made Kathmandu an interesting artistic hub within South-East Asia.
Focusing solely on photography, Nepal thus presents itself as a country rich in young artists exploring themes such as gender dynamics, memory and identity, postcolonial legacy, politics, society, religion and culture—all issues central to contemporary art, particularly on the Indian subcontinent and more broadly across the Global South.
The current generation of contemporary artists is perhaps the first of its kind in Nepal, and their work reveals a solid artistic grounding and a great deal of creative energy, with powerful themes and bold forms of expression, despite the lack of public and private facilities. Their work is characterised as a space on the margins of the contemporary, through which it is possible to observe and comment on the changes taking place, sometimes drawing comparisons with the past or making notes for the future regarding unpredictable developments; at other times, however, it simply manifests as a representation of diversity, meaning not only social inequalities but above all the richness that derives from them.
For this reason, the Nepalese art scene is as promising as it is entirely surprising.
The catalogue is published by SILVANA EDITORIALE.
The project is supported by Strategia Fotografia 2025, promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture.
Admission price:
€6 for the exhibition only and free access to the Rocca
€12 for a visit to the entire monumental complex of the Ugo Da Como Foundation (Rocca and Casa del Podestà)
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