Newton Singh, a civil engineering student and aspiring artist from Manipur, draws inspiration from his cultural roots in his artwork. His passion for portraying the unique culture and traditions of Manipur is evident in his creations. In this interview, we get to know more about Newton, his artistic aspirations, and how his heritage has influenced his work.
We chat with Arambam Newton Singh – an engineering student, and an up-and-coming artist from Manipur. His watercolor and pencil art brings to life the many tribes of Manipur.
Artist Arambam Newton Singh from Manipur
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Hello! Please introduce a little about yourself.
Hi Roots and Leisure! I’m Arambam Newton Singh, 21, from a small town called Nambol which is in Bishnupur District in Manipur. I’m currently pursuing B.tech in Civil Engineering and in my final year now. I’m a big fan of Star Wars so I have a nickname for myself, Newt Skywalker which I use as my username on social media.
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What initially sparked your interest in the field of art and how did it all start?
Drawing and sketching have been a part of me my entire life. When I was young, I preferred staying in my room and sketching instead of playing outside. I used to draw characters of Pokemon, Digimon, Dragon Ball Z, superheroes, and anime. I even created my own imaginary superheroes and this has helped me in becoming more creative and gave me the idea of making my own original artwork. So I started experimenting with new characters and thus my journey began.
Artwork of a Meitei Manipuri Couple in their traditional attire | by Arambam Newton Singh
Artwork of a Meitei Manipuri Couple in their traditional attire | by Arambam Newton Singh
Sugar, spice, and everything nice with a little drop of Meitei ethnicity potion, and boom! – ‘Powerpuff Chanuras’ by Newton Singh
Artwork of Arambam Newton Singh
Radha from Manipuri Raas Leela dance | by Newton Singh
Artwork of Radha from Manipuri Raas Leela dance | by Newton Singh
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What are your sources of inspiration and how have your roots influenced your working style?
I belong to a state filled with rich culture and diversity. Manipur herself has more than thirty tribes of unique cultures and traditions. So, this inspired me to showcase our beautiful and vibrant roots through my work.
Colorful Tribes of Manipur by Newton Singh
Colorful tribes of Manipur by Newton Singh
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What do you hope people take away from your art?
I hope my work could do its share of creating awareness and promoting the state’s rich culture and beautiful traditions.
Meitei Manipuri Lady beside the Loktak river, Manipur | Watercolor Art by Newton
Meitei Manipuri Lady beside the Loktak river, Manipur | Watercolor Art by Newton
Tangkhul Lady in traditional attire | by Newton Singh
Tangkhul Lady in traditional attire | by Newton Singh
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Tell us about your future plan.
I will be exploring more cultures of other regions across the country and doing more sketches on it, and also bring a twist to my artworks by mixing the old tradition with some famous pop culture characters.
Follow Newton on Instagram to see more of his artwork!
Newton adds a twist to his art with old tradition and modern pop culture characters
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