Hi, I am Jason aka Jux, a 27 year old experimental artist based in Pune, India. I highlight my art making process through creative documentation, working with video, painting and sound installation. My works attempt to display a profound relationship with the ephemeral process of creating. I believe in the power of art as a force of healing in a world of emotional numbness and spiritual disconnect. Creating experiments has been a constant meditative ritual, guiding me to safe spaces of tranquility in times of distress.
Early Years
I spent my growing up years in families of two different cultures. I was born in New Delhi and spent my first ten years with my mother's side of the family, learning to communicate in fluent Hindi and exposed to various practises of Hinduism. The next decade of my life I was exposed to Christianity, the religion practised by my father's side who come from Kerala. I spent my teenage years in Bahrain, a country in the middle east where I went to school before returning to Pune, to my paternal grandparents. Introducing myself has always been a challenge especially when asked "Where are you from?". But I have come to the simplified conclusion that I am from Pune, because here feels like home.
Solace
Moving around was one of the hardest parts of growing up, but it had major impact on my curious and adaptive nature. At thirteen, I was a silent and easily distracted kid. There were many things in my day that I absolutely did not look forward to. However, I did look forward noodling on my father's guitar when he was away. I was introduced to the world of art through doodling in school notebooks and watching music tutorials at home. The act of creating sketches and jamming turned into a self taught ritual. Through art I found a world with no wrongs and a place where my child-like thoughts are accepted as they are, without words. In school I would spend hours drawing on my table and have no hesitation when the teacher would ask me to erase a masterpiece that I worked on for a week. It was then that I first realised "I don't create art for the outcome". Reaching the half-conscious state of creating was everything to me, it is where I wanted to remain.
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After high school, I enrolled in a Product Design course in Pune, excited to work on the drawing part of the design process. I was introduced to design sketching, a very new approach to drawing as well as digital tools that I use to this day. However, I did not see myself continuing as a product designer and decided to withdraw from the course after two years.
Product Design to Travel Videos
At nineteen, I decided to learn more about India, through backpacking. I started to document a series of low budget travels and explorations in video format. These videos were another avenue for my creativity to flow into. Throughout my travels I would maintain sketchbooks and often create background music for these videos. Here is a​n experience from my first time solo exploring in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, still one of my favourite video works after all these years.
Fine Art to Music
After two years of consistently creating these videos, in 2019 I applied for a diploma course in Fine Art at NAFA Singapore. Due to my foundation in design experience and existing portfolio, I was granted the first semester off. At art school I learnt about the limitless possibilities in contemporary art, a world I knew nothing about. Although I did my major in Drawing and Printmaking, I was influenced by sculpture, performance art and experimentation in general. I was also very intrigued by the world of sonic synthesis and sound design through analog machines. I spent my savings and purchased a synthesizer before moving back to Pune in 2021 to start my audio adventures.
From 2021-2023, I have created over 200 sound explorations. These were the first years in very long when I did not consistently create visual 'drawings'. The transient nature of music spoke deeply to me and I could not help but give in to the temptation of playing with momentary frequencies.
In 2023 I performed experimental music at three venues in Goa, India. One of which was an open jam event where spectators were allowed to be active participants in the performance.
What's Coming
In 2024, I plan to take my sound explorations further, collaborating with musicians and video artists to create work that would surprise me. I look forward to working on a series of 'conversations' without words, in the form of improvised jams and creatively documenting these various conversations.