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Laboriously Crafted 9 Miles of Hand-Twisted Newspaper Rope


Swayambhu is an ever-growing art installation made of 9 miles of hand-twisted newspaper rope by artist Youdhisthir Maharjan, better known as Youdhi. The piece, which seems like large accumulations of sturdy rope, is actually made of newspapers that have repetitively been twisted unto themselves and further entwined like balls of yarn. It is both an illusion of mediums and a reference to religious practices from Youdhi's homeland.

Originally from Nepal, the artist's ongoing piece presents a disciplined exercise in repetition like the life-long practices of Buddhist monks. The laborious task is a testament to transformative power of hard work. Youdhi says, “While the labor may seem to be futile, rational demand becomes a lifetime of toil and absolutes. Labor is the process and the key to achieving a means to an end. It becomes an avenue for exploration, and a means for the artist to seek the truth.”




Youdhi on Tumblr

Pinar

Pinar Noorata is the Managing Editor at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is an alumni of the Center for Arts Education’s Career Development Program in NYC. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching movies, reading, crafting, drawing, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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