Until I visit Nepal again, these street art pictures will always remind me of the good times that I had there, exactly an year ago.
At HTM (Himalayan Travel Mart) and ITBMC (International Travel Bloggers and Media Conference), we talked about Nepal being unique in many ways, its beauty not being restricted to the Himalayan ranges, its strong come-back after the massive earthquake, its amazing art & culture, great food and the ever-smiling people. Having visited the country twice, I can totally vouch for it that there are too many good things about it. What is needed is different perspective and appreciative eyes. The new-age travelers have proved it time and again that Nepal is definitely on their radar. Be it any country, if you offer them something unique, they will return. If I had to suggest, I would say that there are two more things that Nepal should be talking about and promoting really well. First, the old Nepali art from the Malla period which was called as “the Nepalese Renaissance age” and second, the contemporary street art.
Nepal and street art
The Malla reign gave Nepal the most cherished architectural feats. That was the time when the workmanship of Nepalese artists was at its peak. Nepalese traditional arts and architectures literally flourished during this golden period. Most of the Newari temples and the UNESCO World Heritage sites that we see in Nepal were built in those times. The magnificent wooden doors, the gorgeous art of crafting and splendid statues, all came from that era. Do read about it and find out more. This was about the past, now the present is about contemporary art and local artists. We must talk about their work too. I quite enjoy the interactive art of today’s times and thus I want to dedicate this post to some of the most interesting pieces that I stumbled upon in three different cities in Nepal.
Creativity on the walls
Urban art/Street Art – This is one thing that literally brightens the whole city and it conveys many things. It is one of the most strongest means of expression. The young artists use it as a means to speak up their mind. Street art emerged in Nepal, especially in Kathmandu after the 2015 earthquake. A lot of groups came together to put up some great work. The walls of the city were infused with new life and a lot of experimentation was done. During my last visit I didn’t get a chance to stroll around and check these art work but this time, it was quite refreshing to stumble on some really colorful stuff. And it was not just in the capital but in Chitwan and Pokhara too. Enjoy and do share more with me.
Street Art in CHITWAN
Kathmandu, the capital has loads of cool street art. I think I just stumbled upon 10 percent of it.
Street Art in Pokhara
This city is the gateway to Annapurna ranges and it is one of my favorite places in Nepal. I like it for its laid-back atmosphere and the amazing views from every corner. Not to forget, Phewa lake is picturesque. In Pokhara, one cannot miss the town area of lakeside and the most colourful street. This is just the place for all your shopping and chilling out pangs. While taking a walk around this street, it was fun to find these glimpses of urban art. Next time, I would like to see more for sure.
Do let me know how many have you spotted in Nepal and which one is your favorite? What all did I miss? And do tag me on twitter and Instagram, if you know of more. I would love to see more when I return next year.
I just love discovering street art. The best is when you’re walking around a corner and then BAM there’s art! I liked the pieces you found in Pokhara. In the 2nd picture with the yellow wall, I see a lot of eyes. I wonder what the artist was thinking about while it was being created! I just love that we can find creative street art all over the world!
omg this street are is just phenomenal. It’s so beautiful and hard to believe they did this on a building wall. These artists are very talented. It’s just incredible the way some of the murals of the building material integrated into the pictures. The painting with the two rhinos are my favorite.
I am a huge fan of street art and agree that it’s a great way of artistic expression. My favorite pieces are the ones that tell a message, like the one you posted about recycling. I haven’t been to Nepal yet, but am planning on visiting in the next few years!
Chitwan, Kathmandu & Pokhara are places I haven’t visited yet. Nepal is very interesting and I know that it is very historical and rich in culture. I love the murals / street art that you posted here. I love the one with blue flowers. I think it signifies growth and renewal.
I don’t know why but it never occurred to me that there would be street art in Nepal. I don’t know why since street art is now popular everywhere, so why not here? I liked the Chitwan one with the man in the river. I thought it captured an every day event. The artistic one in Pokhara makes me think of Dr. Seuss with the flowers.
What I love most about street art in Nepal is that it’s in unexpected places. As you appear around a corner, there’s a small mural on the inside of a doorway or there is a mural under a windowsill. I think that unexpectedness adds more charm and beauty to the already outstanding work. I love all the different murals that you captured here. Hopefully, the art scene in Nepal continues to grow.
I love street art and therefore the street art from Chitwan looks impressive and very unique. I loved the jungle art from Wildlife and Jungle inspired art in Chitwan and the one-horned rhinoceros looks very unique. Even the damaged earthquake scenes depict the plight of that calamity. A very bold way to express thoughts.
I love Nepal as a country but had no idea of the prevalance of street art and interestingly it is not something I previous had associated with the country. How wrong was I! Such amazing pieces of art. I love street art especially the rino – looks so gorgeous. The pieces in Pokhara look so unique – I wish I could see this live. Chitwan is a place I have not visited but these photos really inspired me to visit.
Great to see a Graffiti work .. I love graffiti too but need some meanings ; But some of people who have made street mess with nothing meaning of Graffiti and just keep on spraying all around without any meaning and catchy work
In your article The Last one with Buddha art is done by me and my friend Lina
I live just next to the wall…
Thank u for ur clip and great article regarding Graffiti here in Nepal