Kashmiri Artist Sets Up Nairobi Studio, Celebrates Deep Bond With African Wildlife

SRINAGAR: The animals of Masai Mara have found a place in the art of Kashmiri painter Neeraj, whose fascination with Africa since childhood has shaped his creative journey and culminated in the setting up of his own art studio in Nairobi, Kenya, Hindustan Times reported.

Born in rural Anantnag, Neeraj grew up surrounded by animals that visited his family home, from foxes and wolves to wild cats. His early bond with a neighbourhood cat sparked a lifelong interest in coexistence and harmony with the animal world. That interest deepened at the age of 12, when a visit to Srinagar’s Broadway Cinema introduced him to the film Out of Africa. The imagery of Africa’s vast landscapes and wildlife left a lasting imprint on his imagination.

While many young artists dreamt of opportunities in the West, Neeraj chose Africa. In 1996, he was awarded the prestigious Inlaks Grant in London but requested instead to use the funds to travel to Kenya. His determination was accepted, and he spent three months in Masai Mara and Nairobi studying African art, immersing himself in the landscapes and wildlife that have since remained central to his work.

Over the years, his canvases have featured cheetahs, leopards, lions and cats, which he renders with rare sensitivity. Eminent artist Anjolie Ela Menon has described his work as playful, satirical and inventive, drawing viewers into an imaginative stratosphere where animals become metaphors of displacement and human experience.

Neeraj’s art reflects not just aesthetic fascination but a deeper concern for ecology and the shared dependence of humans and animals. His works have been exhibited widely in India and abroad, earning him recognition including the recent ‘State ICON Award’ by the Harmony Foundation for his contribution to exploring human-animal relationships in art.

By establishing his studio in Nairobi, Neeraj has sealed his long creative bond with Africa, which he says inspires him even more deeply than the landscapes of his native Kashmir. His journey, from the Anantnag valley to the African savannah, underscores a lifelong pursuit of harmony through art.