The Story of Space

Local spaces in Kathmandu Valley like bhattis and chiya pasals are places where people from diverse social and economic backgrounds come together. Laborers sit next to bank managers to have meals and drinks. While people in restaurants focus only on the quality of meals and service, these old places become a refuge where they can let go of inhibitions and share emotions with friends and strangers alike. These places become opportunities to express their emotions and feelings, be it of tiredness, frustration or celebration. Through my project, I wish to acknowledge the value of these spaces in offering connection and release. The objects in these spaces such as kitchen utensils hung on the walls, the textures of the bricks, and the old furniture and TV squeezed in the kitchen space are often ignored. Yet, they also play an integral part in creating an uninhibited atmosphere. Through my photography and installation project, I wish to capture the diverse stories I encounter here. The photographs, the texture of the clay wall and voices of people I have met here testify to the power of these old spaces. I wish to honor these spaces as reservoirs of the collective experiences of ordinary people living in the valley