Surjit Sougaijam’s Solo Exhibition
Art is infinite, and so is life. While life may come to an end in its physical form, its experiences, memories, and essence continue to endure. It is for this reason that life is often regarded as an endless journey, and art constitutes one of its most profound dimensions. Surjit Sougaijam’s solo exhibition, Ongoing Voyage, is an artistic expression of this perpetual journey.
Considering himself a participant in an ongoing quest, Surjit Sougaijam’s artistic practice traverses the realms of nature, the human-made world, and metaphysical consciousness. In his works, flowers and leaves emerging from iron—a material synonymous with rigidity and permanence—symbolise the resilience of sensitivity and hope even in the harshest circumstances. The recurring imagery of the sea and outer space points toward humanity’s eternal search for the unknown and the infinite. This exploration encompasses abstract manifestations of Shiva and Shakti, as well as forms of nature that resist fixed identities or definitive names.
Surjit Sougaijam’s solo exhibition will be held from 21 to 25 July 2026 at the Convention Foyer Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Working in oil, acrylic, and mixed media, Surjeet creates each artwork with extraordinary precision and patience. Even his smaller works often require days of meticulous attention. Rather than merely depicting the outward appearance of a subject, his paintings seek to reveal its inner essence through colour, form, and texture, transforming each work into a visual journey that invites viewers to become fellow travellers.
Speaking about the exhibition, Surjit Sougaijam says:
“Ongoing Voyage is a concept that brings together groups of artworks created at different stages of my artistic journey. Each artwork is not a destination but a moment within a much larger creative voyage. I invite viewers not to search for a single, fixed meaning but to reflect upon their own evolving experiences, even if I have shared my own intentions. Like life itself, art is always changing. Every experience, every interpretation, and every creation forms part of an ongoing journey.”
Memory is an essential element of these works. The lotus, the moon and stars, and forms dissolving into light are all images deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. Surjit often speaks of his home state of Manipur and its rich natural environment. He nurtures a wide variety of plants both inside and around his studio, extending his artistic sensibility into everyday life. What he creates on canvas is something he also seeks to cultivate in reality. Here, art and life become inseparable. This is his journey—a continuous process of living, discovering, and understanding life. It has no final destination; it evolves with time and changing circumstances, yet it never truly ends.
Colour plays a vital role in this unending voyage. The predominance of green and red lends his paintings vitality and expressive force, while his monochromatic works possess an equally compelling emotional depth. Whether working with pencil on paper or canvas, he patiently builds each surface with remarkable care. His ability to create subtle tonal variations while preserving a convincing sense of realism demonstrates both technical mastery and artistic sensitivity.
Ongoing Voyage is more than an exhibition of artworks; it is a visual meditation on the enduring dialogue between life, memory, nature, and consciousness. Rather than offering definitive answers, it invites viewers to embark upon their own inward journey—one in which every ending becomes the beginning of another voyage.
Leave a Reply