Park Gallery

Park Gallery is an artist-run space and art gallery located in Patan, Lalitpur, in Nepal's Bagmati Province. Founded in 1970 by artist, art teacher, and art activist Rama Nanda Joshi, it holds historical significance in the region as Nepal's first independent art institution. It uniquely functioned as both the first school dedicated to teaching modern art and as a modern art gallery, committed to promoting the principles of modern art in the country.

After returning from training at the JJ School of Arts in Bombay under an Indian government scholarship, Rama Nanda Joshi observed a gradual modernization in Nepal. In 1970, he established the gallery at Ratna Park in the Kathmandu Valley, which was then a popular meeting point for the country's intellectuals and artists. In 1975, Joshi relocated the gallery to Pulchowk, closer to his home. Following Joshi's untimely death in 1988, his family, who remain active in the art field, took over the institution to preserve his vision. In 2006, the gallery underwent a renovation to achieve a contemporary look and was expanded to include a miniature museum dedicated to Joshi, displaying some of his artworks. This expanded complex was collectively named the R.N. Joshi Center for Fine Art.

The gallery maintains a collection of artworks by several Nepali artists as well as foreign artists. Beyond its permanent holdings, the institution serves as a dynamic venue for local and international exhibitions, which have played a significant role in developing the contemporary art scene in Nepal since its inception. The gallery also organizes art talks and seminars, and it encourages emerging Nepali artists to engage with the broader art community. Its varied exhibition programming attracts considerable attention from both local art enthusiasts and expatriates.

The most notable specific holding within the institution is the miniature museum dedicated to its founder, Rama Nanda Joshi, which displays a selection of his own artworks. Additionally, the gallery served as a crucial learning institution for several leading Nepali artists who studied under Joshi, including Kiran Manandhar, Surendra Pradhan, Jeevan, Sangeeta Thapa, Chanda Shrestha, and Ramesh Nath Khanal. Works by these figures and their contemporaries form a core part of the gallery's historical and artistic significance.

The gallery was originally situated at Ratna Park in the Kathmandu Valley before moving to its permanent location in Pulchowk, Patan, in 1975. The Pulchowk site was chosen for its proximity to the founder's home. In 2006, the building underwent significant renovations to provide a completely new contemporary look, and the physical space was expanded to accommodate the new R.N. Joshi Center for Fine Art and the dedicated miniature museum within the complex.

Park Gallery is located in the Pulchowk neighborhood of Patan, Lalitpur, Nepal. The institution continues to operate under the management of the Joshi family, who remain committed to carrying the founder's legacy into the future. In addition to its exhibition and educational programming, the gallery operates a shop that sells greeting cards, posters, and prints, and offers custom framing services for customers. Further information is available on its official website.