About Us
Irresistibly attracted to Nepal from a very young age, I travelled there alone in my twentieth year. The pagoda temples of the Newars of the Kathmandu valley, the rice terraces and the magical mountains quickly bewitched me. I was also fortunate enough to spend my first weeks in Nepal with Nepalese people and to totally immerse myself in their world. I formed very strong ties with one Nepalese family, which pushed me to return every year, certain that my future would be played out there, in this country so distant but so close to my heart.
After studying Nepalese and Hindi at the Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris, I started to work as a trekking guide in Nepal, in Ladakh-Zanskar in India, in Burma, and in Indonesia, co-directed several documentaries on Buddhist pilgrimages for the Kalachakra for TV station France 2, and contributed to several travel guides on Nepal.
In 2005, during the armed conflict between the Government of Nepal and the Maoists (1996-2006), I joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), whose mission is to protect and assist victims of conflict. I started as a Nepalese and Hindi interpreter, then became delegate and coordinator of the teams in Nepal and made four documentaries on the families of persons who went missing during the war. This decade spent with the ICRC was filled with strong, unforgettable, meaningful experiences, and confronted me with the other reality of Nepal, far from an idyllic and fantasied country. This period also allowed me to explore almost all of the districts of Nepal and to meet many stakeholders: villagers, arms carriers, authorities, politicians, religious figures – the complex and contrasting palette of a country caught in the turmoil of history.
It was also in Nepal that I met the woman of my life. Born in Australia, Emma has spent the last 20 years following her passion with incredible dedication: helping disadvantaged Nepalese children. Along with her team, she runs various child protection, education and livelihood development initiatives designed to prevent trafficking, keep families together and enable children to grow up in safe, nurturing family environments. Since 2005, Emma has continued to run her organization, Sunrise Children's Association, with the same level of devotion. After marrying on the desert island of Monriki in Fiji, we were blessed with two adorable children: Amaya and Louis.
Several years of "exile" later (from mission to mission with the ICRC in the Fiji Islands, Lebanon and Armenia, punctuated by regular trips to Nepal, France and Australia), our desire to renew deeper ties with Nepal prevailed.
My love for this country, its people, its unique culture and its grandiose landscapes had never left me. Intrinsically, Nepal is part of my life and it was quite natural that the idea of sharing its treasures came to me. I felt compelled to continue the Nepalese adventure and this is how HIMALAY’ART was born.
For almost thirty years, I have visited countless shops and artists in the valley. Drawing on this long experience, I have selected with great care some unique pieces of traditional art and craft. Through these works, I hope that HIMALAY'ART can contribute to raising awareness of the artistic heritage, unique in the world, of the Newari, who have left such a deep mark on Himalayan art.
After this year in Nepal, we will finally settle in France, in our “Nepalized” chalet, surrounded by protected forests and large hills. Every year we plan to return to Australia to remain connected with our Australian family and to support Emma's charity work, and of course to Nepal – a natural extension of our hearts and where our destinies became intertwined.
Arnaud Galent