Clumps of flowers swaying in the breeze, with lush green leaves that convey the glory of the inflorescences. It was the painting that had every ingredient to catch anybody’s attention at Madhu Jain’s exhibition. At first, it seemed so simplistic and effortless that you almost overlooked its intricacies. It is only later that you realise the long, relentless hours that have gone into it as the work uses Sumi-e, a rare Japanese brush painting technique which only uses black ink. Jain, is one of the three painters in the world to have mastered this art form.
“I have my hands full, holding exhibitions around the city to make people aware of this rare art form. Thanks to my diplomat husband, I got the chance to live in Singapore where I learnt Chinese art. I noticed the way great attention was given to the lines—its most elemental and basic component. I learnt that with single strokes and blank spaces, a lot could be suggested,” says Jain, who remembers being immediately pulled towards studying and practicing the technique.
In the process, not only did she become a student of this Far Eastern art form, but also a student of the traditional language. “I learnt Japanese for seven years as I had to interact with the artists constantly. I then graduated to learning another Japanese technique called Nihonga that involves the use of rock mineral pigments which are derived from shells (which she crushes with a stone mill and dries naturally on wooden boards), corals, semi-precious stones and even gold and silver leaves,” says Jain, adding that the base for this painting is a hand-made ‘washi’ paper, which is the most popular medium among the famous Japanese contemporary artists. “Nihonga is an obsession with me. I enjoy conveying my experiences and emotions, achieving inexorable depth and dimension with the layering of these mineral pigments,” she says. Interestingly, the popular Japanese technique originated in India centuries ago, before it travelled to the Far East and was adopted there, says Jain.
Being the only woman in India practising and propagating these Japanese techniques, she has succeeded in combining the tradition of Japanese art with the colour and splendour of Indian folk-life, which has now become her signature style. Since she has been working in this medium since 1994, Jain is safely at the top of her game for now. With solo shows in Tokyo, Singapore and San Francisco, she admits that the technique is relatively unknown outside Japan and so it’s quite a challenge. “But it satisfies my aesthetic sensibility. When my teachers saw my dedication, they taught me the secrets of this technique and I love that it is eco-friendly—just pigments, brushes, water and glue,” says Jain who believes it is time-taking compared to graphic art, but very rewarding.
And her art doesn’t just serve as great collectables, it also helps maintain diplomatic and cultural ties between India and Japan. Jain was invited to organise an exhibition ‘Folk Expressions’ in Japan on the occasion of India and Japan celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations. Insinuated with the infinite textures and vibrancy of rock pigments, Jain is happy for now but does plan to teach this diverse yet challenging art form after she retires.