From Faces to Forces: How H11235’s Street Art Became a Conversation with the World

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_{When you stand before one of Kiran Maharjan’s murals, the wall stops being a wall. It becomes a stage for tension and tenderness, identity and instinct. Known as H11235, the Kathmandu-born muralist has painted cities into stories, combining human faces, animals, and symbols that feel both deeply personal and boldly universal.}

_{His upcoming work, our anthropocene conundrum, will debut on July 4 at the Ishara Art Foundation’s No Trespassing exhibition. The piece adds another chapter to a practice shaped by environment, memory, and the act of creating in public.}

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Childhood Influences: Nature, Cartoons, and Curiosity

_{For Kiran, the trail starts with television. Early influences frequently reappear in an artist's work. Childhood afternoons, with limited channels, alternated between bizarre cartoons and untamed nature programs. The twin interests of wildlife and visual storytelling were subtly influenced by the worlds of Steve Irwin and Courage the Cowardly Dog.}

_{Drawings began in the margins of notebooks, often built from repeated observation. A character’s pose would return, and so would Kiran’s pencil. That careful repetition planted the seeds for the precise, expressive portraits that would later stretch across city walls.}

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Between Science and Spray Paint

_{Art was not the only path. There was once a strong pull toward herpetology, inspired by an early admiration for reptiles and the ecosystems they inhabit. But formal study abroad seemed out of reach, and local mentorship in art offered a new direction. A teacher named Bara encouraged critical thinking and exploration, shaping a space where creativity felt possible. Art became more than a passion. It became the obvious next step.}

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What H11235 Stands For

_{The name H11235 holds its own meaning. The “11235” comes from the Fibonacci sequence, often found in nature’s design. The “H” is a reference to Hyde, the alter ego from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, symbolizing the tension between order and chaos. Together, the name reflects an artistic approach rooted in contrast, balance, and transformation.}

_{This idea became visible in works like Order and Chaos (2018) in Kochi. Painted on the crumbling side of an old barrel-repair workshop, the mural depicted human hands reaching to restore structure. The building itself resembled an altar, adding a layer of reverence to a wall once forgotten.}

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Nature as Memory

_{Kiran’s murals often carry nature into the city. In Birth (2017), the connection between human and animal life became the focus. The mural was inspired by a museum display of a baby elephant fetus, which resembled a human form. The work explored shared biology, offering a quiet meditation on life, extinction, and evolutionary kinship.}

_{In Farmers of the Sea (2023), painted on government-built homes for cyclone survivors in coastal India, the mural became a tribute to a fishing community living in rhythm with the ocean. Before painting, Kiran spent time observing and absorbing daily life there. The resulting work honored resilience while gently questioning the systems that shape vulnerability.}

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Why the Street Still Matters

_{For Kiran, the surface is never neutral. A wall carries its own history. A mural becomes part of a neighborhood’s routine. Sunlight changes it. Weather wears it. People add to it, consciously or not.}

_{Some walls cooperate. Others resist. A jagged, rocky surface in Banaras, made from sharp-edged river stones, made precise photorealistic painting nearly impossible. But the challenge only sharpened the creative process. Working on the street means adapting constantly, and that adaptability is part of what keeps the work alive.}

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Evolution Beyond Calligraphy

_{In the early years, Kiran’s style was distinct and recognizable. Black-and-white portraits paired with red Ranjana Lipi calligraphy created a visual rhythm grounded in Newar heritage. The faces symbolized biological evolution, while the script spoke to cultural memory and intellectual lineage.}

_{Over time, that signature style gave way to experimentation. A 2015 exhibition with the Alliance Française marked a subtle shift. From there, his work became more abstract, more collage-like. Photography, painting, and mixed media began to blend. What began as precise portraiture evolved into layered, open-ended compositions that invite multiple interpretations.}

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A Wall That Was Never Painted

_{The new work for No Trespassing, titled our anthropocene conundrum, was initially imagined as a large mural exploring architecture in Dubai and Kathmandu. Due to travel limitations, the plan shifted. The mural was never painted.}

_{Instead, the absence itself became part of the artwork’s message. The final piece, constructed from mixed media, touches on themes of construction, obstruction, and separation. It reflects on the boundaries that shape both cities and creative process. In this way, the missing mural still speaks.}

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Art as an Ongoing Conversation

_{Kiran Maharjan’s journey continues to unfold in quiet, thoughtful ways. From stark portraits on raw city walls to abstract works full of texture and reflection, his art keeps evolving. And yet, the core remains the same. Each piece invites viewers into a deeper conversation about place, presence, and what it means to belong.}

_{The streets may change. The surfaces may shift. But the story keeps being told.}

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