Art, for me, is about touching
lives, making connections, and creating spaces for reflection and growth.
Art, City, and Everyday Life
For me, art touches lives, builds connections, and creates spaces for reflection, dialogue, and collective growth. From this belief, Project 1336 emerged through my deep connection to the cities of the Kathmandu Valley. The project reflects daily life in dense urban lanes, where hopes, dreams, struggles, and chaos intertwine like threads in knitted fabric. Over the years, I observed women gathering in courtyards, knitting beside neighbors while sharing stories of joy and hardship. Through these moments, knitting becomes an ongoing dialogue, shaped by every stitch. To me, knitting extends beyond craft and becomes a metaphor for life itself—an intricate web of evolving connections. Life here does not move linearly; instead, it remains tangled, layered, complex, and deeply beautiful.
Performance, Community and Resilience
In response, Project 1336 unfolds as spontaneous, performative, and interactive, much like the city it inhabits. It embodies the spirit of the Kathmandu Valley—alive with energy, yet shaped by struggle and hope after the 2015 earthquake. On one hand, people hold onto dreams despite uncertainty and turmoil. On the other, they face the challenge of rebuilding a city that often feels estranged, yet remains inseparable from memory, pain, and triumph. Within this tension, the project brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to weave a shared narrative. During exhibitions, children and youth actively jump, play, and interact with the work. In doing so, they express joy and resilience that continue to define the valley.
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2017 — Project 1336 launched at the Kathmandu Triennale 2017, introducing the project to a broad public audience. Public procession happened from Nepal Art Council to Maitighar Mandala.
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2018 — Expanded at the Taragaon Museum through a large public procession with over 400 participants, moving toward the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Boudhanath.
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2019 — Featured in the 4th Today’s Documents: “Stitch in Time” exhibition at Today Art Museum, Beijing, China, engaging international audiences.
- 2024 — Culminated at Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, during World Heritage Day
Journeys, Connections, and Continuity
Initially, Project 1336 launched at the Kathmandu Triennale 2017, reaching a broader public audience. In 2018, the project expanded at the Taragaon Museum through a large public procession involving over 400 participants. This procession moved toward the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Boudhanath, transforming art into a living communal experience. Subsequently, in 2019, the project featured in the prestigious 4th Today’s Documents: Stitch in Timeexhibition at Today Art Museum in Beijing, where it resonated internationally. Ultimately, Project 1336 culminated in 2024 at the historic Patan Durbar Square during World Heritage Day. This moment completed a full circle, connecting the city’s layered history with ongoing transformation. At its core, the project builds connections between people, between the city and its visitors, and between past and future. It highlights labor migration while honoring youth and communities shaping the valley. Through this work, I aim to inspire creative energy within local borders and bring emotional justice to communities. The number 1336 refers to the elevation of the Kathmandu Valley in meters, grounding the project in place and lived geography.