Don't Fit In, Stand Out

Jasjyot Singh Hans is showing mirror to the society through his illustrations. Images without conventional distortion is what it shows.

- Nidhi Raj Singh

While we would like to call Jasjyot Singh Hans a non-conforming, conscious artist, he doesn’t like the baggage that comes with the word ‘artist’. So, illustrator it is for him. His art is a celebration of the human body as he tries to explore and uncover subjects such as queerness, gender, sexuality and self-love. Beginning his career with designer Sabyasachi, Jasjyot has worked with Péro by Aneeth Arora, Manish Arora as a print engineer and Suket Dhir on illustrations for his Woolmark Prize pitch. Shuttling between India and the US, Jasjyot has emerged as a formidable voice for inclusivity.

Growing up, how did you see the world?

As a kid, I guess you just see things as they are. The instinct is to think that the fault lies within us, and that we need to change. As I have grown older, and come into my own and my sexuality, I realise my point of view is unique, valid and important. I embrace and celebrate that, even in moments of self doubt. The way human body is portrayed in pop culture is problematic, especially bigger bodies. They’re always there for comic relief. I didn’t find that funny even as a kid.

When did you decide you wanted to be an illustrator?

There were never any moments of doubt. I always knew I wanted to be an animator. The idea of doing something around art was very exciting.