Srijanalaya — Mural Art Residency: Learning from Khokana
Central Question:
What can we learn from a place, and what can a place teach us?
Background and Context:
The Kathmandu Valley is home to several ancient towns that hold deep historical and cultural significance. Khokana, one of the oldest traditional towns in the Valley, is renowned for its unique heritage, traditional farming practices, and craftsmanship. Nestled in Lalitpur, this Newa town has retained its medieval charm, with narrow alleys, ancient temples, festivals, and vernacular architecture made from locally sourced materials. Historically, Khokana’s residents have maintained strong connections to agriculture, particularly mustard oil production, cultivating a deep respect for their community and environment.
As urbanisation accelerates in Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley, towns like Khokana face the challenge of preserving their cultural identity while adapting to modern changes. This artist-led Mural Art Residency seeks to explore the intersection of place, history, and identity, asking what we can learn from Khokana’s rich cultural tapestry and how the place itself can impart lessons about sustainability, tradition, community, and indigenous knowledge.
Objectives:
The primary goal of this residency is to engage local community and secondary-level students with Khokana’s heritage through artistic expression, using murals as a platform for learning, collaboration, and reflection. The project will highlight Khokana’s relevance in the face of rapid change, prompting participants and the broader community to consider the role of place in shaping identity and preserving knowledge.
Why Mural?
Mural making in a community space is an exciting and impactful project because it combines artistic expression with community engagement. By engaging with a community space, mural making transcends individual artistry, becoming a meaningful dialogue between people, place, and creativity.
Here are several reasons why it’s particularly interesting:
1. Collaborative Process
Community Involvement: It brings together diverse individuals—artists, residents, students, and volunteers — to collaborate on a shared vision.
Fosters Unity: The process encourages teamwork, communication, and a sense of belonging as everyone contributes to the mural.
2. Visual Storytelling
Showcasing Identity: Murals can visually narrate the unique history, culture, or aspirations of the community.
Highlighting Issues: They serve as a medium to address social, environmental, or cultural issues, sparking conversations and raising awareness.
3. Transformative Power
Enhancing Public Spaces: Murals turn dull or neglected walls into vibrant, eye-catching works of art, revitalizing the space.
Promoting Ownership: Seeing their contributions displayed publicly instills pride and a sense of ownership among community members.
4. Educational Value
Skill Building: Participants learn new artistic techniques, from planning to execution.
Cultural Preservation: Involving local themes or traditional motifs ensures cultural heritage is passed down and celebrated.
5. Accessibility of Art
Art for Everyone: Unlike galleries or museums, murals are free and accessible to all, democratising art appreciation.
Bridging Gaps: They break barriers between formal art institutions and the general public, fostering inclusivity.
6. Creating a Legacy
Long-Term Impact: A well-made mural can last for years, serving as a reminder of the community’s collective effort.
Inspiring Future Projects: It encourages other creative initiatives in the area, enriching the local culture.
Specific objectives include:
Cultural Exploration: Deepen students’ and participants' understanding of Khokana’s cultural, historical, and environmental significance.
Community Engagement: Foster a connection between students and the local community through interactive art workshops.
Artistic Development: Introduce students to mural art as a medium for storytelling, historical preservation, and expression.
Critical Reflection: Encourage students to reflect on what Khokana can teach about sustainability, tradition, indigenous knowledge, and the importance of place.
Approach and Methodology:
The residency will be structured as a series of workshops and guided tours, where students will engage in an inquiry about Khokana’s heritage through its architecture, traditional practices, indigenous knowledge, and the local community’s relationship with its surroundings. The final murals will reflect this exploration and reflection.
History and Culture of Khokana: Lectures and discussions will provide context on Khokana’s historical significance, traditional farming practices, and evolution over time.
Field Exploration: Participants will embark on field visits to key landmarks, interacting with community elders, craftsmen, and farmers to learn about the town’s history, social fabric, and cultural practices.
Interviews and Oral Histories: Conversations with residents will gather personal stories, focusing on how they perceive their environment and the lessons they derive from it.
Workshops and Discussions: Artists leading the residency will guide students in reflecting on their experiences and synthesising their learnings. Brainstorming sessions will help students identify themes that resonate with the town’s heritage and translate them into visual representations.
Design and Planning: Collaboratively, students will design murals that encapsulate their learning. These designs will draw on Khokana’s historical elements, such as mustard oil production, temple structures, and vernacular architecture, while addressing contemporary issues like urbanisation, sustainability, and cultural preservation.
Mural Creation: Under the guidance of experienced/professional artists from Khokana and Bhaktapur, students will create the murals in designated locations within Khokana. These murals will not only beautify public spaces but also serve as visual records of the town’s history, values, and lessons.
Community Involvement: Local residents will be actively involved throughout the project, sharing stories and perspectives to foster intergenerational dialogue and a sense of ownership over the murals.
Expected Outcomes:
Artist Practice: Artists strengthen their existing practices, find a way to connect their artistic practices with socially engaged practices in art, and create a method for place-based storytelling through their work
Student Learning: Participants will gain a deep understanding of Khokana’s cultural and historical significance, while developing skills in mural painting, collaboration, and artistic expression.
Cultural Preservation: The murals will act as lasting visual tributes to Khokana’s heritage, helping to preserve its identity in the face of rapid urbanization.
Community Engagement: The project will strengthen ties between the younger generation and the local community, fostering pride in Khokana’s unique traditions.
Public Awareness: The murals will draw visitors and stimulate conversation about the importance of preserving Khokana’s cultural heritage, raising awareness of its significance within the broader Kathmandu Valley.
Overall Timeline for the residency (2 months)
Phase 1 (15 December–4 January 2025): Tours,research activities, conceptualization, workshop planning
Research and Exploration (3 weeks)
25 & 26 December: Two-day reflection
Phase 2 (5–18 January 2025): Developing mural concepts based on research
Design and Conceptualization (2 weeks) and Workshops (6–10 January 2025)
Phase 3 (19 January–8 February 2025): Collaborative work with artists to complete the murals
Mural Creation (3 weeks)
Phase 4 (9–15 February 2025): A community event showcasing the completed murals — public exhibition (1 week)
Planning and Display: 3 days
Exhibition: 3 days
Dismantling: 1 day
Conclusion:
The Mural Art Residency in Khokana seeks to bridge the past and the present, tradition and modernity, through the transformative power of art. By exploring the question, “What can we learn from a place, and what can a place teach us?” this residency encourages participants to engage deeply with the town’s heritage, creating meaningful dialogue between the local community and the participants. Through this project, Khokana’s stories will be documented as an inspiration for future generations to foster more inquiries and a deeper connection to the places they inhabit and the knowledge these places hold.
Text by Sharareh Bajracharya for Srijanalaya.
Photos by Hari Bhakta Dangol.
Mural Art Residency: Learning from Khokana is supported by Lachhi, Shikshya Foundation Nepal, T:>Works, and Srijanalaya.
