SANDEEP JIGDUNG: PAINTING NATURE’S FLAMBOYANCE

Artist Sandeep Jigdung’s alluring paintings are densely packed with the intense hues of tropical plants and animals. On a recent trip to India, I came across his work and was immediately intrigued by his flamboyant scenes of nature — I had to learn his story. Sandeep was born and raised in the northeast state of Assam, and his vivid canvases transport you to those green, undulating hills of his childhood. His landscapes are like a soothing balm for the soul, particularly for those of us who live in urban spaces.

In the below conversation with art writer and historian Sandhya Bordewekar, Sandeep shares more about finding his niche as an artist and how his hometown continues to inspire his scenes of nature.

What was it like to grow up in Assam, in the northeast of India?

I grew up in a small town, a hill station in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The picturesque surroundings, the green forests and low hills, and the tall mountains in the background left a lasting impression on my mind. Even today, I miss Assam if I have to be away for a long time. My family put a lot of importance on good education as the doorway to a prosperous life. But like most kids interested in the outdoors and in drawing and painting, I did not like school too much. I began to squiggle and draw before I learned to write the alphabet. I would tell my mother that when I grew up, I would only draw!

Did your parents encourage your interest in art?

My father would always bring me a lot of books and comics, especially the Phantom comics that were popular when I was a boy. I would always start copying the images in the book before I read them! When my father saw my interest in art, he indulged me with color pencils and crayons and sketchbooks. He also enrolled me in the drawing classes run by well-known artist Biren Sinha near my home. I loved going there! I learned the basics of composition, form, color and technique to paint watercolors, thus graduating from pencils and crayons.

Was there any encouragement from the school teachers?

When I reached high school, I was sent to a boarding school in Shillong. There the headmaster Brian Wallang was half-Australian, half-Indian. In my first year, I handmade a greeting card for my class teacher, which was much appreciated. Wallang Sir, especially, was very impressed. When he went to Australia during the holidays, he got me new drawing materials, quality papers and other supplies. I was so touched! He also talked to me about art schools, especially the JJ School of Art in Mumbai, and how I can make a career in art.

Did you do that, then?

Well, not really. Then began a critical and confusing time of my life. I was on the threshold of youth. My interest shifted to fashion designing rather than art. Why, I do not know. When I finished school, I joined St. Anthony’s, a Junior College in Shillong. Within a few months, I realized this was not what I wanted. I was not doing what I liked, and so I went back to Assam. It was 2002. I just pottered about the house doing nothing, much to the chagrin of my parents.

One day, a friend who had just opened a large restaurant asked me to do a mural on one wall and a dozen paintings for other walls. I agreed, as I had nothing better to do. That project occupied me for a while but when it was done, to my surprise, my creative endeavors garnered a lot of appreciation from the wealthy clientele that frequented the restaurant. As a result, I got many commissions to create artworks for their homes and offices. One of them was an art dealer based in Chennai, who had a large clientele in Dubai.

Wow! What happened next? Did it reawaken your interest in art?

The commissions I got were to make Ganeshas or easy-on-the-eyes landscapes. That did not offer any challenge. But what was more important was that, like you said, it did reawaken my interest in art. I put the ghost of fashion designing behind me. And I realized that it is now time to get a proper art school education and get out of Assam. I decided to go to Bangalore but my father had already made arrangements for me to go to Delhi. I was accepted easily in the Delhi College of Art.

So, you became a big city guy?

No! Actually, I felt lost. Anybody would have thought that I was in art school, the right place for me. But I was horribly homesick and looked at every opportunity to run back to Assam, which was so far away. Fortunately, in a few months, I made a few friends and was able to settle down. The well-known artist, V. Abhimanue was the head of the Painting department and he offered me a hand of friendship. He guided me in my work, took me with him to exhibition openings in galleries across Delhi, introduced me to other artists and the generally vibrant art scene of Delhi. I began to work hard and even completed my Masters.

When did you get your first exhibition?

Not so quickly! I finished art school but somehow found myself at a loose end. I stopped working, slipped into depression, and could not get out of bed. Standing before the white canvas, I did not know what to paint and why. It was a painful, tortuous feeling. My parents were worried and tried to encourage me to get back to work. If not painting, do anything else, they advised, but don’t stay unoccupied, earn something.

It was a very bad phase but like all bad things, it came to an end when one day, out of the blue, I got a call from an art conservator at the India International Centre. Would you like to do a solo show at the IIC, she asked. I jumped at the opportunity! I had no money to buy canvas or paints, but friends helped me and I began to work like a madman. The opening date was just a few days away. But I managed to get 13 canvases ready in time. The guests were largely my friends, some of my teachers. But four days later, there was a laudatory review of the exhibition in the Hindu newspaper. Buyers started trickling in and by the time the exhibition wrapped up, almost all my paintings were gone!

That’s a fantastic opener, I must say! Very few people are so lucky…

Yes, very lucky indeed! This exhibition was like a shot in the arm. It shook me out of the stupor I had fallen into. I got back to the studio and began to paint regularly. My life now had meaning. Very soon, I got invited to show in the 2nd United Art Fair in Delhi. My paintings caught the notice of an art gallery, and they began to accept my works in their shows. It was like a dream come true — everything good was happening in my life, finally.

Your parents must have been very happy.

Oh yes! When I remind my mother of what I had told her when I was just a little boy and she would get me to study and not draw, she does smile indulgently! But, you know, both of them are happier because I decided to leave the pollution and grime, the crowds and noise of Delhi, and returned home back into the emotional embrace of my parents. My hometown is also a much cleaner and healthier place to bring up my young family.

As far as my career is concerned, it was also important to return to Assam’s undulating green meadows, the unusual shapes and colors of orchids clinging to the wet moss of branches, the thick extensive foliage, the intricate textures of tree trunks. Here I experienced a new lease of life. This energy, this sense of freshness and vitality found their way into the canvases I paint at my new studio now. Here, inspiration comes much more easily, and the terror I once experienced standing before a blank canvas has vanished.

What are your recent paintings like?

Well, they continue to be inspired by the wonderful tropical plants and flowers, luscious ferns and colorful berries that I am surrounded by here. But in the new works, the backdrop is draped with a curtain of the sky in all hues of blue. I think they add a bit of magical enchantment. I am continuing that experimentation until I master it.

Your path so far has been fascinating. What lessons do you have for young artists today?

Delhi is not a bad place, really, but I like my hometown more. I lived in Delhi for many years. And I made enough contacts in the art ecosystem in the capital to make sure that my career as an artist moves ahead steadily. I feel that many young people probably go through the same emotional and professional challenges that I did. Young artists, especially those coming from small towns and villages in remote corners of the country, can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by the big city and the people there. Professionally, they can go through periods of self-doubt — about their own decision to become an artist, about faith in their own talent, their ability to make an adequate living.

My advice to them is only this — continue to have faith in yourself. Work hard. Learn English, if that is your weakness — you need to be able to communicate. And never lose hope.

Thank you so much, Sandeep.

To browse our curated collection of contemporary paintings by Indian artist Sandeep Jigdung, visit https://laasyaart.com/sandeep-jigdung. His scenes of tropical plants and animals are perfect paintings for urban spaces. If you would like to make an appointment to see these works in person at our Indian art gallery in Palo Alto, please reach out at info@laasyaart.com or +1 650-770-908.

— Sonia Patwardhan