‘Naga’: Storytelling on canvas

An exhibition of paintings by Meren Imchen

Morung Express News
Kohima | February 3

What began with a very simple notion of painting an old lady purely out of imagination led Meren Imchen to do a series titled “Naga” that explores and depicts the rich traditions and heritage of different Naga tribes.

“Ketsamiapfü” meaning “Elderly Woman” in the Angami language, is the first piece that appears in the series, wherein the artist imagined the old Angami lady to have lived her life full of experiences and reflecting on her past memories.

It was this piece that inspired him to delve deeper into the old Naga way of life and practices. “As it evolved, I also started doing more research. I read a lot of books and if I come across a line that I found interesting, that would become the source of my inspiration”, he relates to The Morung Express. “Since by profession, I am an animator, we have always dealt with storytelling,” he highlights.

This is primarily why all his paintings in the series are also accompanied by stories, brilliantly capturing the moment in time. Each and every painting, he points out “is actually thought of and not randomly made.” With a lot of research gone into making this series, the artist recalls travelling to several villages, meeting people and listening to the elderly narrate tales of the past.

“Naga” comprises of 11 artworks, each with a story of its own. Using acrylic on canvas, Meren Imchen creates visuals of some of the most prominent traditional practices that have existed since time immemorial, some of which are also still practiced in the present day.

Meren Imchen—the Artist is a recipient of the 54th National Film Awards for Best Animation and Direction, and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Art (2007). He was also a member of the Steering Committee at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2017. With a degree in Animation Film Design from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad as well as a master’s degree in 3D Animation from the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University, UK, Meren Imchen has vast experience in developing and executing animation, motion design, illustration and concept art projects.

The “Naga” exhibition organized by Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA) was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio on February 2, 2021 at Regional Centre of Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA). It is open for public viewing from February 3-6, 2021 from 11:00-02:00 pm. Out of the 11 artworks that are on display, it was learnt that 9 of them are already booked.