Creation of the website and logos:

British Youth develop relationship with Nepal

The story of the creation of the NIAP lies in two places, Kathmandu, and Bournemouth (UK). On the background page the impetus for the NIAP, and shaping of its vision, mission, aims and values, in terms of the support from Nepal’s creative/artistic community and UK Nepali artists, is detailed.

The effective start of the project itself began with the creation of the NIAP website and logo design during the Spring – Summer period of 2014; the work of a group of South West England HND graphic design college students whose research into and study of Nepal’s contemporary arts encapsulated and subsequently made real the educational and global citizenship, through the arts, vision [link to page] at the heart of the project.

The ten Bournemouth and Poole College students had no knowledge about Nepal’s arts, though some knew Nepal was home to Everest, the world’s highest mountain, and some that it was the land that the Gurkha’s came from. By the end of the project the students had formed a lifelong connection with the country and its people because of the research they each initially undertook prior to creating logo’s and then draft website designs for the NIAP, they realised about many facets of Nepal’s arts, from its rich diversity and ancient origins to the globally important themes repeatedly found in contemporary art forms, such as passions for spirituality, social justice and gender and minorities equality as well as concerns about and care for the environment.

The iconic designs they produced [link to page showing all + Deniz and Adriana’s PDF’s and screen caps of other three] made real the dazzling impression of colour and brilliancy of Nepal’s arts and creative community: each reflecting what amounted to a spiritual journey of exploration and excitement as they became immersed in the relationship each had formed with Nepal and its people through the project. Each individual design was shaped as a result of substantial reflection and then innovative shaping in terms of symbols, colours and stylisation experimentation.

Included here are three examples from the set of logo’s that were produced: monumental; mountain silhouette; hexagram. The full set of designs, two sample feedback comments PDF’s as well as screen captures of three other designs can be viewed on the Project Graphic Designs Page.

NIAP Project Lead, Alan liaised throughout the three month period with the student team and their teachers, Jane Jenkins and Josh Read. What made the experience unique for the team was that through the NIAP they came to know the names and expertise of the many renowned Nepali artists supporting the initiative. When three designs had been shortlisted these were then shared with the UK-based internationally renowned Nepali artists Subash Thebe and Govinda Sah, and also with Sangeeta Thapa, co-founder of the Kathmandu International Art Festival [KIAF] and Kathmandu Contemporary arts Centre [KCAC]. Subash eventually choosing the winning logo, whilst Sangeeta selected the winning website design, a choice selected by a number of others who had been consulted.

The pleasure at recognition for the work of the team of young British graphic designers, their teachers and the head of the college’s Art and Design Department was especially great due to the national and international recognition they received through the excitement at and appreciation of the project by the Embassy of Nepal and the Chair of the Britain-Nepal Society, Roger Potter