आखे (Grandfather)

Communication has always been hard for me. Perhaps it is because I had to leave my village when I was young and came to Kathmandu for studies. It made me a more reserved person in my family. But now, as I grow older, I realize that I have become distant from my family and my roots.

आखे started with a conversation between me and my grandfather, trying to fill the gap between us. I feel that communication works as a bridge, but also sometimes as a wall. To fill the gap between us, I have tried to learn our language, which has led me towards understanding my family, cultural roots, ethnicity, tradition, and geography.

Through our conversations, my grandfather became closer and got to unfold many aspects of our clan and community, and its importance in creating our history and identity, and in giving us a sense of belonging. I have recorded my conversations with my grandparents and transcribed them into Nepali paper. The composition consists of layers of text and images representing my memories.