Art is always beautiful. It is amazing how the abstract, as well as the scenes and nature, are beautifully portrayed in the form of art. Art is evolving with time and today we have Rajib Maharjan, who has brought a unique concept of “Inside Bottle Art”.

  1. Where did you get the inspiration from?
  • From a very young age when I was at school, I was always interested in art and designs. My relatives would make a back and forth visit abroad where they call it “impossible art”. They would bring such arts with a ship inside the bulbs, which was fascinating to me. often, I would visit my relative’s house just to see the new arts. So, that inspired me to try bottle art on my own.
  1. How much time does one of the “inside bottle art” take?
  • It depends on the size and what kind of design is being made. The smaller ones can be done in 1 or 2 days whereas the bigger ones mostly take 15 days-1 months. The planning and the strategies take time more than the actual work. It needs a lot of work mentally as well.
  1. Do you remember your first-ever “inside bottle art”?
  • Of course, I do! Since at that time, we had no access to the internet from where I could learn the techniques needed, I had no idea. However, when I did my bachelor’s in fine arts, I learned techniques for art, and slowly, I was able to attempt making it. I broke the upper part of the bulb and made a small house inside with needed materials. I still have it. 
  1. In the context of Nepal, people don’t buy the arts and such creative work much. So, how is the art doing in the market?
  • That’s true. Because art needs a lot of time, effort, and creativity, they get a little bit pricey which is not digestible to the Nepalese People. Not all of them, but most of them. However, these days, Nepalese customers are increasing and they are most fascinated by the Dharahara design inside the bottle. Overall, the market for such is not great and regular, especially due to the decrease in foreigner customers. Now we are trying to focus on making the price more reasonable to increase the number of the Nepalese Customers. 
  1. Do you have a team or are you only the one behind all these amazing arts?
  • To be honest, it is not all me. I have my wife who makes portrait paintings and my friends are there who contribute some of the paintings. However, I make the “Inside Bottle Art”, while my wife looks after the art gallery. For this kind of art, I need to focus and be patient, so I stay home to make it if I do. It is all about teamwork that has made it happen.
  1. The new designs and new ideas must be important to bring variations in your art. Do you get inspired by other arts that you come across?
  • Actually, most of them are out of imagination or some beautiful things that I have seen and I want to replicate the picture in my imagination. Some of them are customized arts as per the order. In today’s world, due to the access to the internet, people want the same kind of pictures that they see on the internet and demand such.
  1. How do you feel when you are making such kinds of art?
  • For me, art is like meditation. It needs concentration and a lot of patience, which makes me forget problems and I go to a different zone of the mind. I am interested in art since I remember myself and doing what I want makes me feel that I am alive. Art is my happy place.
  1. What are your further plans for the “Inside Bottle Art”?
  • I am planning to make a table lamp version of bottle art. I think that will bring a different kind of beauty to our room. Let’s see how that one goes. And I want to do an exhibition of bottle art from which I think we can reach the mass of people. However, for the exhibition, I need to have a big collection of such art which will take time.