KIRAN PANDAY

The audience gasped as streams of carefully choreographed golden, red and green fireworks illuminated the dark Kathmandu sky on 7 November. This was unlike anything most of those gathered at the Khula Manch had ever seen-and it was unlike anything Khula Manch had ever hosted.

A magnificent concoction of various forms of art, Divinity of Common Life was a multidisciplinary, artistic performance by Nepali and French artists collaborating to bring to life the beauty present in each human and every moment of life. The unique use of light, sound, colours and dramatisation guided the viewers to the spellbinding climax of the evening.

Creating their personal magic at the event organised by the Alliance Fran?aise were French pyrotechnician Pierre-Alain Hubert, American installation artist Karl Knapp, actors from Gurkul, the folk music ensemble Kutumba with DJ Sharad, thanka painter Tenzin Norbu and the narrator, Salil Subedi. Their passion for life made a deep impression on the audience.

The second instalment of the event opens at Siddhartha Art Gallery from 14 November and will go on till 30 November. Though the magic of Hubert's fireworks will be absent, don't miss the chance to see Knapp's art or NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati's pictures, Norbu will complete his massive thanka as Kutumba performs.

Shitu Rajbhandari