NEPAL: Lalitpur - Streetart Chakupat - Graffiti and Urban Art Collection - KOSIDC, SARAN TANDUKAR, SATTYA MEDIA ARTS COLLECTIVE & others

Chakupat is a traditional neighborhood in the Kathmandu Valley characterized by a peaceful residential atmosphere, shaped primarily by the Newar community, whose way of life, festivals, and architecture define the streetscape. Typical of Chakupat are narrow, winding alleys, closely packed brick houses with intricately carved wooden windows, and numerous small temples, shrines, and courtyards, the so-called “bahals”, which serve as social and religious gathering places. There are many small shops, workshops, and local markets that cater to daily needs. Large-scale commercial developments are less prevalent here, allowing Chakupat to largely preserve its traditional character. The population consists mainly of long-established families, resulting in strong neighborhood ties. Historically, Chakupat is one of the older settlement areas in the region and developed over centuries as part of a dense urban network of traditional residential quarters. Naturally, the streets also feature colorful murals and vibrant urban art. Especially the SATTYA MEDIA ARTS COLLECTIVE created one of its works here as part of the KOLOR KATHMANDU project.

Yala Sadak Mural Wall – Kupondole Road – Hotel Himalaya – KOSIDC

„Salyan“ – Kolor Kathmandu (50) – SARAN TANDUKAR

Photo Credits: Sattya Media Arts Collective

The news most commonly reported from Salyan is negative and depressing: rape, road accidents, and bomb blasts. Many people forget to look for the light hidden in the darkness, for the little bit of positivity giving us all hope for the future. For this district it comes in the form of Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a local of Salyan and the shortest man in the world. With a burst of bright colors that you can’t ignore, Saran, our artist, has brought in all the positivity from Salyan to pay homage to the man. He is represented in the center of the mural reminding us to never forget the small wonders in life. Often, they are all that keep us going.

This artwork is part (50) of the awesome series KOLOR KATHMANDU, which consists of 75 murals made throughout the cities of Kathmandu and Lalitpur representing the 75 districts of the country. The fantastic project initiated by the SATTYA MEDIA ARTS COLLECTIVE took part in 2013 and at this time the country had 75 districts, after 2015 with an updated constitution there are now 77 districts. The shown wall painting shows the artwork for the district Salyan.