While growing up in Imphal, Manipur,
Thokchom Sony always liked drawing things and making tiny comic strips. Even though his father wanted him to become an architect or an engineer, Thokchom says, “my passion for art was so great that I insisted until he agreed and now I am an artist.”
His work is a mix of beautiful hand-drawn characters, whimsical settings and fashion illustrations. He is currently working on a series of fashion illustrations inspired by the Manipuri ‘Potloi’ – a traditional cylindrical skirt worn by brides as well as dancers in the Manipuri ‘Raas Leela’.
“I find Potloi very graceful, dramatic and unique, especially in the Raas Leela. The movement is so elegant and beautiful…I also use flowers in the illustrations as North-east has a rich variety of flora all over. And each flower adds some character and meaning to each of the work.”
This approach of combining fashion, culture and art is what Thokchom wants to do. Inspired by artists like Laura Laine and Miss Led, he wants to fuse his ideas, identity and style into something fresh and contemporary – a style that he can call his own.
He is currently based in New Delhi and is teaching Animation as a contract faculty in the Jamia Millia Islamia (AJKMCRC). He loves making arresting portraitures and detailed works but in the future he wants to do something through his art to lift up North-east, which can represent and show the talents that we have to the nation and to the world.
Check out his some of his Manipuri inspired illustrations.
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