Last week, Sattya was in Maruhiti, just by Kathmandu Durbar Square, painting a wall and wheatpasting pictures as part of Artist in The City, an event organized by IMAP. We were trying to inspire people to start where they stand.

The idea behind “Start Where You Stand” is that we all have something we can do to bring about the changes we want to see, however small. For example, there are so many problems in Kathmandu that it can get overwhelming and we wind up doing nothing at all. The “Start Where You Stand” campaign brings the problems of a city (or a county, or a community, or the world, for that matter) down to a manageable size.

All of us have the capacity to make small changes in exactly the place we are, whether it is in our neighborhoods, ours families, our homes, or even just within ourselves and our actions on a daily basis. This campaign, and this art installation in particular, was born out of the desire to get people start thinking about just that. By taking the time to think about and name the issues we would like to change, we are already taking the first step to finding a solution. Then by thinking about a possible way to better the situation on our own- without the help of government or lots of funds- we pinpoint an action we can take.

Whether the action is taken or not is another thing, but the idea is now planted in our minds. And finally, by having our picture taken and pasting it ourselves on a wall with our idea for change- among a sea of other faces- is inspiring.

The impact of such an installation to be emphasizing the idea that all of us have the capacity to bring about changes in our lives and our worlds. Through this participatory street art project, this concept is planted into the minds of the people participating, as well as into those who pass by the wall. Sometimes what we see one day in passing can stick in our minds and days, weeks, months or even years later show up to be influential.

Of course, many people will not take the actions the they said they could take and many people will pass by the wall without looking at it. But out of all those people, perhaps a handful will thinking further and be inspired to actively bring about the changes they want to see.

Photos by Sangrachana Chamling.