Remembering Thamel | SARJ HADA

Remembering Thamel: The Colours and Chaos of Kathmandu, Nepal

Sarj Hada | 3 October – 24 October 2026

Sarj Hada is a multidisciplinary artist based in Rotorua, born in Kathmandu, Nepal, with creative roots in the Indigenous Newar community, renowned for its rich traditions of art, sculpture and architecture.

In Remembering Thamel, Sarj draws on memories of Kathmandu’s vibrant Thamel district — its narrow streets, colour, movement, culture and organised chaos. Through painting and mixed media, he explores identity, belonging, memory and place.

Sarj’s experimental practice has developed over a twenty-year creative journey spanning Nepal, Australia and Aotearoa. His work has been exhibited in Sydney, Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua and is held in private collections around the world.

Rather than recreating Thamel literally, this exhibition captures how it lives in Sarj’s memory: layered, colourful, crowded, culturally rich and beautifully chaotic.

On exhibition at The Arts Village from 3–24 October 2026.