Born in the quaint village of Tirbin in Arunachal Pradesh, celebrated fashion designer Jenjum Gadi’s childhood memories are deeply intertwined with the tranquil and lush surroundings of his home. Raised in an era with minimal access to modern entertainment, Gadi’s youthful days in the 1980s were filled with adventurous pursuits like climbing trees, chasing bees, swimming in rivers, catching fish, and hiking up the mountains. Nature served as his playground, and it continues to be a boundless source of inspiration for his creative endeavors. This profound connection with nature has culminated in his debut art show, Apase, which translates to “assorted fruits” in Gadi’s native Gato dialect.
“In my village, every house has a garden. Instead of flowers, we grow vegetables and fruits in them. My mother, who is a farmer, has always lived in the village and throughout her life, she has sown the seed for every single fruit and vegetable that grows in our garden,” Gadi reflects. “Spending time there has deeply influenced my creative work, and this connection to nature has now extended into my designs. Apase is my attempt to revisit those memories and give them a tangible form.”
Apase is an exquisite collection of 16 three-dimensional fruit models, meticulously crafted from solid brass, each representing a fruit or vegetable from Gadi’s mother’s garden. The exhibition is currently being showcased at the Vayu hall of Bikaner House. The highlight of the collection is an impressive 12 x 44-inch banana bunch, surrounded by other fruits such as pineapples, papayas, jackfruits, lemons, pumpkins, and pomegranates. These brass sculptures, arranged in humble yet graceful clusters, evoke the essence of a serene garden, further intensified by the fragrant aroma of fresh jasmine flowers, creating an immersive jardin experience.
Gadi’s journey into the world of brass craftsmanship saw a significant turn during his visits to various parts of Arunachal Pradesh. In Rupa, a small village, he discovered local artisans adept at creating traditional brass items for Tibetan monasteries. His exploration continued to Tawang, the westernmost part of the state, home to the oldest and second-largest Buddhist monastery in Asia.
. Here, he solidified his interest in the craft, learning to use real fruits as molds to create enduring brass sculptures.
In his own garden in Delhi, Gadi cultivates a variety of fruits like mangoes, papayas, avocados, custard apples, bananas, and lemons, depending on the season. However, his favorite remains the orange. “Orange trees are usually thorny, but the thorns tend to diminish as the trees age. I have fond childhood memories of plucking oranges and playing with friends in the orchard, the sweetness of the fruit offsetting the few bruises we got from the thorns,” he reminisces.
Jenjum Gadi stands among the few distinguished designers and artists representing the Northeast region of India. While he has successfully brought attention to the area, sparking conversations about its diverse facets, such as food, culture, and critical issues like racism and discrimination, he believes the art landscape still demands more representation. “The process is slow but it has commenced, which is a start,” Gadi states. “One artist who comes to mind is Chandan Bez Baruah, a talented printmaker who is raising awareness about life in the Northeast through his work. Now, I notice a new generation of young artists emerging from the region. The idea is to raise awareness about the people, who they really are, and where they come from. It is important to chronicle their journeys as creatively as possible.”
Gadi’s artistic journey is multifaceted, ranging from designing clothes to creating art and even acting in films. Despite his wide array of talents, when asked about his future in acting, he laughs it off: “I was so shy and bad in my audition for Axone [a 2019 comedy-drama directed by Nicholas Kharkongor] that even though they wanted to cast me for one of the leading roles, they didn’t. That’s not happening anytime soon.”
Apase, Gadi’s labor of love and homage to his roots, is currently on display at Bikaner House, inviting art lovers and patrons to experience a slice of Arunachal Pradesh through his brass sculptures.
