A multimedia exhibition, ‘Who Does the River Belong to?’ by Photo.Circle, opens today at the Nepal Art Council and will run until December 22. The exhibit will showcase the works of nine Photo.Circle fellows who challenge the mainstream doctrine of progress.

The storytellers showcased in this exhibition encourage viewers to reconsider the narrative of progress—how we, as individuals, communities, and nations, have embraced it and how this singular focus has resulted in the exploitation of our rivers, forests, and lands. The exhibit aims to uncover stories from Godavari, Mukkumlung, Jogidaha, and the Sunkoshi River.

“My film showcases how a promise of an airport destroyed a community forest in Jogidaha, Udaypur,” says Deepa Shrestha, one of the fellows. Another fellow, Sara Tunich Koinch, shares that the inherent identity crisis she experiences has driven her to undertake this research and create a visual work about the Mukkumlung forests. “We live in a fast-paced world. We need to learn how to maintain harmony with nature again,” she says.

The presented works emerged after a nine-month fellowship programme, where each fellow was paired with a mentor. “We at photo.circle hope that this exhibition ignites a wider conversation that critiques the mainstream discourse of development, which has been central to Nepal's state policies,” says Bunu Dhungana, one of the programme's mentors.

“With our rivers, our forests, and our lands fast disappearing, what is to happen to our food, our songs, our customs of living and dying, and our culture that is so intimately shaped by the land?” says Nayantara Gurung Kakshapati, the curator of the exhibition.

The participating artists are Aman Shahi, Amit Machamasi, Deepa Shrestha, Kishor Maharjan, Sara Tunich Koinch, Priyanka Tulachan, Samagra Shah, Sundup Dorje Lama, Sanjay Adhikari, and Shreena Nepal. The exhibition includes a drumming workshop by Amamn Shahi, Thakali cooking and storytelling sessions with Priyanka Tulachan, a talk by researcher Kailash Rai and photographer Sara Tunich Koinch, and guided tours of the exhibition.

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Who Does the River Belong To?

Where: Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal, Kathmandu

When: December 13 to 22 (Opening ceremony today at 4:00 pm)

Time: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm daily

Entry: Free