On a wall of a house in Patan, a group of artists were busy creating a mural. Within a limited time frame, they needed to complete a large mural on the house’s wall. The mural they were painting depicted a fusion of Nepal’s national flower, the rhododendron, emerging from someone’s hand.
The sketch was captivating, with several Nepali artists working on it alongside a French artist. When asked his name, he smiled and said that the mural artists like to hide their real identity. He further said that he preferred to call himself Chi Fu Mi, meaning “rock scissor paper” Chi Fu Mi explained that he was born and raised in France, and during his school years, he wasn’t particularly interested in art. However, after completing his studies, he sought ways to travel the world. For him, art became the ideal means to do so. He didn’t want to limit himself to canvas, as art confined to a canvas would be restricted to someone’s home and reach a smaller audience. Thus, he chose public murals as his preferred medium, believing they would engage a wider audience.
During his travels, he visited various places in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, and Nepal. In 2016, during his first visit to Nepal, he was strolling around the Thamel area when he noticed a group of artists led by Romel Bhattarai working on a large mural. Fascinated by their work, he asked if he could join the team. The artists, intrigued by him as well, welcomed the collaboration, and thus began their joint efforts.
Creating a mural on a private home or public wall is a challenging endeavor. It requires obtaining permission from various authorities. Often, he would create a sketch and present it to the relevant officials. Once the project was approved and the necessary funds were provided, he would begin the work.
Chi Fu Mi, the artist, says that when he’s not working on murals, he spends most of his time reading books. He believes that his extensive reading generates new ideas. Currently, he is reading the Ramayana and feels that the text is inspiring him with fresh and diverse ideas. He says, “I feel that every word has an image, and one can create hundreds and thousands of murals based on the text.”
In his early forties, the artist envisions being active in mural making for another decade. After that, he plans to become a teacher and share his knowledge and expertise with students.
Nepal feels like a second home to the artist, and he is currently working on a mural at the Alliance Française. He has devised a great concept, which the director of the Alliance Française has approved. He plans to complete the mural before traveling to Indonesia.
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