Photographer Arhant Shrestha Explores Distance and Memory in Kathmandu

For Arhant Shrestha, photography has served as a powerful tool to bridge distances, both physical and emotional. His artistic journey is deeply rooted in Kathmandu, a city he has sought to understand through his lens since he was 14.

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This tension is the starting point for both ‘Loose Fist’ and ‘Between Space and Memory’

Shrestha's photographic practice is exemplified by two distinct bodies of work. 'Between Space and Memory' delves into the hazy, imagined Kathmandu of his childhood, a city he experienced through fragmented glimpses from a car window. This series explores the yearning for a place he barely knew, reflecting his interpretation of adolescence at 20.

In stark contrast, 'Loose Fist' confronts the trauma resulting from a violent attack in late 2023 that left Shrestha with a profound fear of men. Instead of withdrawing, he chose to photograph men in Kathmandu, an attempt to reclaim comfort and overcome his fear. He describes the photographs as initially not for artistic purposes but as a personal confrontation.

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I believe that I’ll never be able to fully understand Kathmandu and its people. But the pursuit of uncovering as much as I can keeps me driven.

Despite their different subjects, both series share a common thread: the tension between observing from a distance and the desire for closeness. "This tension is the starting point for both 'Loose Fist' and 'Between Space and Memory'," Shrestha explains. He believes the pursuit of understanding Kathmandu and its people, though perhaps never fully achievable, is the core of his passion as a photographer.

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The need to ‘document’ photographically, and therefore attempt to understand the world around me, lies at the crux of my passion as a photographer