Born in a small, picturesque village called Tirbin in Arunachal Pradesh, acclaimed fashion designer Jenjum Gadi’s childhood memories are imbued with the vibrant essence of the time he spent at home. Having grown up during the 1980s in an environment with scarce access to entertainment, Jenjum’s youthful days were defined by the simple pleasures of nature. His leisurely pursuits included climbing trees, chasing bees, swimming in rivers, catching fish, and hiking in the surrounding mountains. Nature was his playground, offering boundless inspiration that has now crystallized in his debut art show named ‘Apase.’
‘Apase,’ a term which translates to ‘assorted fruits’ in Gadi’s native Gato dialect, is a heartfelt tribute to the garden meticulously tended by his mother. “In my village, every house has a garden. Unlike the urban concept of flower gardens, we grow vegetables and fruits in them. My mother, who is a dedicated farmer, has lived in the village all her life and has sown the seeds for every single fruit and vegetable in our garden,” Gadi recalls. “Spending time there has profoundly influenced my creative work, embedding a deep connection to nature that now extends into my designs. Apase is my attempt to revisit those cherished memories and translate them into a tangible form.”
The exhibition, which takes place at Bikaner House’s Vayu hall, showcases an impressive collection of 16 three-dimensional fruit models, crafted from solid brass. Each piece represents a fruit or vegetable from Gadi’s mother’s lush garden. The centerpiece of ‘Apase’ is an enormous 12 x 44 inch brass banana bunch, around which other fruits — pineapples, papayas, jackfruits, lemons, pumpkins, and pomegranates — are arranged in humble clusters, emanating a sense of organic grandeur. Adding to the immersive experience is the delicate fragrance of fresh jasmine flowers, which enhances the intended ambiance of a garden steeped in tradition and memory.
Gadi’s journey in bringing these brass fruit sculptures to life took him to the village of Rupa in Arunachal Pradesh, where he discovered local artisans skilled in the traditional craft of creating brass items for Tibetan monasteries. A subsequent visit to Tawang, the westernmost part of the state and the site of Asia’s second-largest Buddhist monastery, reinforced his appreciation for this ancient craft. There, Gadi learned the intricate technique of employing real fruits as molds to create these eternal brass renditions.
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At his residence in Delhi, Gadi continues to nurture his connection to nature by cultivating a variety of fruits such as mangoes, papayas, avocados, custard apples, bananas, and lemons, each flourishing according to the season. Among all, his favorite remains the orange. “Orange trees are typically thorny, but the thorns tend to recede as the trees age. I have fond memories from my childhood of plucking oranges and playing with friends in the orchard. The sweetness of the fruit always made up for the occasional scratches from the thorns,” he nostalgically recounts.
Standing as one of the few designers and artists who highlight the rich heritage of Northeast India, Jenjum Gadi has managed to spotlight the region through his varied work, initiating conversations around its food, culture, and pressing issues such as racism and discrimination. According to him, while the art landscape of the Northeast is gradually gaining representation, there is still much ground to cover. “The process may be slow, but it has started. One artist who comes to mind is Chandan Bez Baruah, a talented printmaker raising awareness about life in the Northeast through his creations. There’s also a noticeable emergence of a new generation of young artists from the region. The objective is to share their stories, portraying who they are and where they come from. It’s vital to chronicle their journeys as creatively as possible,” he states.
Gadi’s talents are nothing short of eclectic, ranging from fashion design to art creation, and even acting in films. When asked about his next possible appearance on the big screen, he laughs it off, “I was so shy and terrible during 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 proceed. That’s not happening any time soon,” he chuckles.
Apase is currently open to the public and on display at Bikaner House, offering a mesmerizing glimpse into the rich cultural tapestry and natural beauty of Arunachal Pradesh.
