This Summer, NOW Gallery will be consumed by a jungle conceptualized by Birmingham born illustrator Manjit Thapp. The Camberwell college of art graduate is NOW Gallery’s young artist of the year 2021. Her painterly, iconographic style will be lifted from the page to create her first immersive commission. Explore a combination of large- scale murals and sculptural exotic spaces.  

Thapp is known for depicting a broad range of proud women, and in particular a young Asian protagonist who is a central character in her work. Symbols of a red sun, snakes, tigers, tropical flora often reoccur in her renderings. 

Using the jungle as a vehicle for exploring the scrapbook of collected emotions in our minds from overgrowing thoughts, tangled feelings, hidden fears and wild growth. Thapp will be creating work that has a fragmented narrative, acting like pages in a diary that documents the contemporary female experience. Set out in a maze-like structure that mirrors hitting dead ends, moments of light, dense shadows and working your way through your own feelings. 

“Bringing to life everyday feelings, musings, reflections, inner thoughts and conversations with yourself highlighting how art can be used to channel emotions.” Manjit Thapp  

“Thapp’s drawings are gentle, yet confident and empowering. The exhibition will question how creative processes can be used to focus and distill thoughts.” Kaia Charles 

View Manjit’s work via Instagram

More info about Manjit Thapp’s upcoming exhibition at NOW Gallery coming soon!