Taking art out in the open

BEAUTIFUL MESS: Street artist Dibyeshwor Gurung working on a wall opposite the Russian Embassy. His art deals with issues of unplanned urbanisation and migration.

Previously festooned with billboards for big brands, the wall opposite the Russian Embassy in Baluwatar now showcases a black-and-white artwork of crumpled transmission lines over a cramped city depicting unplanned urban growth.  

Probably inspired by Kathmandu’s own chaotic growth, street artist Dibyeshwor Gurung thought this wall would be an apt medium to put out his message: “If everyone leaves, there won’t be anyone left behind to untangle the mess.”