Meet Vithuse Temi, Nagaland’s self-taught artist whose works are rooted in rural areas

Agartala, Jul 17, 2020, By Our Correspondent

Temi has been passionately engaged in artwork since childhood. 

With a penchant for drawing and painting, Temi was drawn towards visual art at a very tender age.

Since then he developed himself into an artist of repute.

Temi is a self-taught artist.

Talking to this reporter over phone from Kohima, Temi said he has no formal training in art and painting.

The nuances were picked up by himself and fine-tuned his craft through experimentation, he said.

Temi is a true soil of the soil rooted in his culture and tradition.

“My works are rooted mostly in rural areas based on the traditional and cultural identity of the people, particularly in this part of the globe,” he added.

He has immense knowledge about the tribes of the Northeast, especially Nagaland.

“I believe art is about connecting with people’s emotions,” Temi also said.

Temi has an organization in his native State called PROJECT 72HRS.

He is the lead artist of PROJECT 72HRS.

Temi is a regular and known face at the Hornbill Festival.

He had participated in the Hornbill Art Exhibition from 2013 to 2019.

His works were showcased at the Regional Painting Workshop at Lalit Kala in Odisha in 2017 and at the National Level Painting Camp at Allahabad in 2019.

He has several art installations and murals painting in collaboration with the Department of Art and Culture, Kohima.

He has also worked with the Department of Tourism, Nagaland and Kohima Municipal Council.

He also has work experience with Dreamz Unlimited, Dimapur; KABA Care, Kohima and I Love My MoM Town, Mon.

Temi is also a caricature artist. He has done caricature portraits of several known personalities from various fields.

A commerce graduate, Temi’s paintings received national recognition when he won the first prize in painting at the 18^th National Youth Festival held in Ludhiana of Punjab in 2014. (nenow)