On April 29, 2016, I was pleasantly shocked at the newly inaugurated Trade Mall in Pokhara. Teenagers were actually attending an art exhibition, in the most unlikely of settings—a supermarket à la Bhatbhateni, and they were lingering around more than they should have.

You could hear the word ‘cool’ get thrown constantly, and see a lot of selfies being taken around ArtLab’s Prasad project which had accomplished to grab more than a sliver of their imagination and curiosity in a world of ephemeral Snapchat stories, transient Instagram pictures, and unmemorable Facebook status updates. Inspirational vitality was injected, via newer mediums of spray paints on canvas, mix media on plywood, spray paint on dish antenna, and mix media installations, into the flesh of an age-old social issue—brain drain, and the unconventional project tried to make a very unpopular opinion popular: stay in the country or come back to help. 

We don’t need statistics stating that a certain percent of people are emigrating at a certain rate per year. We know it is happening. We all have someone close abroad in pursuit of happiness, and the issue has become so banal, and so obscured by day to day doldrums that we just don’t care anymore—like a word which has lost its meaning after countless mind-numbing repetitions.

And this is exactly where ArtLab’s Prasad (meaning sacred offering), a not-for-profit, street-art movement venerating local heroes by turning their facial profiles into art to inspire the youth via their unique personas and contribution to the Nepali diaspora, comes in.

In artist Romel Bhattarai (.)’s 3’ X 3’ spray paint on canvas titled Departure, the picture straight-out portrays people leaving Nepal to work overseas for prosperity. A 33’’ X 18’’ spray paint on canvas follows said work which depicts a dead body with a toe tag that reads ‘Nepali’. These unapologetically bold and unflattering true artworks states a message without veiling reality—that going abroad is not always the solution.“It breaks my heart to see/hear of a dead body sent like a parcel when all they wanted was happiness for themselves and their families. The grass is not always greener on the other side,” states Bhattarai, who is also the Founder of ArtLab Life.

And whether attendees loved or hated the artworks, it elicited responses, where the myriads of various art forms inspired a diversity of dialog and perspectives.“I’m leaving abroad Nepal soon for my higher studies,” continues attendee and musician, Yuvash Vaidya, 22, “but I don’t need to come back. I can help my country even when abroad.” Sumeeta Buddhacharya, 46, who was the principal of a local school in Kathmandu for 15 years, adds: “Of course students want the advance technological infusion in studies abroad. But the new generation needs to respect where they come from and help the country, especially after the earthquake.” 

This art in the supermarket also implemented another strategy to convince the youth to stay back by venerating the local heroes.

Accomplishments of Laxmi Prasad Devkota, Laxman Singh Khadga, Satya Mohan Joshi, Mahabir Pun, Laxman Singh Khadka, Narayan Gopal, and Durga Baral, were celebrated in soft pastel on cardboard papers, where Pragati Basnet, 22, an engineering student stated, “This works. This does prove that you can do great things even in Nepal.” Even aforementioned local heroes were present at the exhibit, where hero Singer Hari Devi Koirala pointed out that, “It’s the new generation that brings innovation.Without it, how can a country survive?”, while other local hero, cartoonist Durga Baral, advised to learn international and serve local, exactly like how the ArtLab artists modernised the previous generation—without tainting history but re-interpreting them in artistic ways.

The art in the supermarket made art conveniently accessible.

“I have heard about the Mona Lisa and Picasso and that is where my art knowledge ends. But can we call this art? I did not know that. But I like it,” stated Krishna Gautam, 42, a local shopkeeper. Florence Karki, the coordinator for the successful Art Market Pokhara also adds, that unlike Kathmandu, there are hardly a few exhibitions every month, and Pokhara needs fresh perspectives and inspirations like Prasad. With live art, poetry by Word Warriors, b-boying session, and DJ sessions which pulled the crowd in, the project brought a cornucopia of art forms to the people to witness and learn from for free. “I had never seen something like this, ever. I am going to show these pictures to my brothers and friends who missed this and make them jealous!” exclaims Situ Rijal, 17.

The art in this supermarket is also testament to the fact that street art has come a long way. From being tagged as vandalism, or unfunny parodies, or tacky and dirty, street art had come of age. The installation and artworks retell the transformation in the walls of Nepal, from propaganda and scantily clad Nepali heroines to a tool of uplifting societal values, and encourages seeing the unconventional in things, while beautifying the milieu.This ‘crude’ art form was now empowering, and simply a mirror of society, and the artists, new storytellers.

The exhibit ends with Philip Dardalet (Lou Lou)’s Next Prasad Hero, a 36’’ X 28’’ acrylics and mirror on plywood artwork, where a mirror in shape of a head is placed in between the artworks of other aforementioned local heroes. “It is an invitation to question yourself about what you can do as a next hero,” declares Dardalet, while Bhattarai concludes, “I want all these ideas to marinate slowly inside everyone’s head.” 

In the end, Prasad, ticking all there is on its to-do list, was all about inspiration—encouraging new perspectives and promise of creativity, and I know that before Situ shares the photos she clicked in the exhibition online, she will edit it and filter it meticulous details, and see the artworks for a longer period of time, and contemplate and reflect in solemnity. And the photo will be viewed by at least one other person online, who will come in touch with the artwork, and also, ponder the story behind it.

Now that is, indeed, cool.

Amatya is a Project Associate at the Siddhartha Arts Foundation