In a quiet studio tucked within the restless heart of Kathmandu, forgotten fragments of metal, broken tools, and humble debris await their second life. Under the attentive hands of Saurab Koirala- a multidisciplinary artist whose imagination drifts fluidly between painting, illustration, cartooning, and sculpture-these abandoned remnants are coaxed into becoming again. His workspace feels less like a workshop and more like a sanctuary of transformation, where rust whispers stories and broken parts dream of wholeness.
From January 15 to January 31, Koirala’s singular creations are on view at the gallery space of Taragaon Next, inviting visitors into a world where waste is not an end, but a beginning.
Rooted deeply in Nepal’s lush landscapes and rich biodiversity, Koirala’s artistic language pulses with the presence of the animal kingdom. Birds, insects, and wild creatures return again and again in his work-not merely as subjects, but as symbols: messengers of memory, resilience, and fragile coexistence. Rendered in vibrant hues and mechanical textures, they echo both the wonder of the natural world and the quiet grief of its slow erasure.
For Koirala, scrap is never just material-it is a moral and ecological stance. Each twisted wire, each dented sheet of metal becomes a question about imbalance, unchecked urban growth, and humanity’s widening distance from nature. His sculptures do not simply stand; they speak. They murmur stories of loss and survival, of what we throw away and what we forget.
This philosophy found powerful expression during his Sagarmatha Next residency, where he created a striking series of Himalayan wildlife sculptures. Danphe, yak, jharal, and delicate insects emerged from bicycle chains, industrial debris, and rusted fragments-mechanical bodies carrying the soul of organic life. These works shimmered with paradox: cold metal shaped into warm memory, industrial remains breathing with the spirit of the wild.
Recognition arrived early. In 2018, Koirala’s metal Danphe became a finalist at the WastArt Competition held at the Taragaon Museum and was later added to the permanent collection of the Sagarmatha Next Art Gallery. This milestone marked the beginning of a journey that would unfold through his selection as Artist in Studio #9 at Taragaon Next and a subsequent residency in 2025. With each chapter, his sculptural vocabulary deepened, and so did his engagement with communities, anchoring him firmly within Nepal’s evolving contemporary art landscape.
Globally, scrap and recycled art has emerged as a powerful response to industrial excess, consumer culture, and ecological urgency. In the United States, it often takes the form of monumental public installations that speak the language of eco-activism. In Europe, it remains conceptually charged, shaped by the legacies of Dada, Nouveau Réalisme, and Arte Povera, where waste becomes a historical witness. In China, towering constructions made from industrial debris confront the scars of rapid urbanization and environmental loss.
One of the visitors and fellow artist, Roshan Bhandari, present at the exhibition’s opening, shared his admiration: “All the pieces look so precisely done. The time it takes to shape an idea and then execute it with such tact creates a special kind of energy in the exhibition. I especially loved the dragonfly. What makes it even more dramatic is how he has decorated the animals with bark, leaves, and honeycombs—it brings a theatrical life to the space.”
Across South Asia, particularly in India, scrap art is closely woven with everyday life, shaped by informal economies and domestic materials, reflecting stories of labor, inequality, and globalization. Within this broader tapestry, Nepali scrap art speaks in a gentler tone—intimate, grounded, and deeply personal. It rises from limited resources and immediate ecological realities, offering a quiet but resonant counterpoint to global spectacle.
And within this tender space, artists like Saurab Koirala stand as quiet alchemists. With patience and purpose, they transform abandonment into acts of reflection, care, and continuity- reminding us that even in rust, there is memory; even in waste, there is life waiting to be reborn.
If you are nearby, let Taragaon Next be your destination. Step inside, and witness how forgotten things learn to breathe again.
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