Vikhor Tepa~ A Glimpse into an Artist's Soul

Pens, pencils, oil, acrylic, and colours are some of the tools you would find in an artist’s world.  These are not just ordinary materials that make somebody an artist, but the command over these tools that sets them apart from the ordinary.

Born to a family of artists beginning with his painter father, Vikhor Tepa was inexplicably drawn to art since he was six. Although art was never really a subject in school, he says, “we did have drawing classes, which is normally a free period, but I’d make sure that I am drawing something…it’s just the interest, the love of art that I kept drawing in school.”

With such passion exhibited at a tender age, it comes as no surprise that he has won over 15 awards as a high school student both in the state and at the national level, the competitions, which, he agrees, also encouraged him to pursue art further.

Over 20 decades of exploring art, sketching, painting, sculpting and the like, by now, he has hundreds of artworks, some of which adorns the homes of art lovers even in far flung places like the USA and Japan, apart from the Kohima Art Museum. One of his works also beautifies the walls of the prominent Indian Filmmaker, Shyam Benegal.

He has also exhibited his works at the India Habitat Centre & India International Centre, New Delhi, as well as the Reflection Art Gallery in Delhi, where he previously worked as a Curator & Manager for 2 years, and of course, on numerous occasions in the state including “Beloved”, which showcased some of his exclusive artworks and his brother’s (Seyie Tepa), who is also a recipient of Governor’s Award in the field of Art.

Vikhor Tepa studied English Literature from Delhi University before he decided to pursue a 4 years’ degree in Fine Arts from the College of Art, Delhi. This, actually drew a little hesitation because although his father is an artist himself, art as a profession was never really seen as a lucrative job.

But he recalls with contentment his experience at the college of art and thereafter working at the Reflection Art Gallery as Manager & Curator. With the focus mostly on conducting workshops, looking into issues such as disparity, female infanticide, violence against women, etc, he says, “it was a very different experience for me because my inspiration is mostly from home, the people and the culture, but being part of these workshops gave me a new experience and opened my mind to new issues, which necessarily does not take place at home.”

He started with painting, got trained as a painter, learned the use of oils, acrylic, water colours and the several mediums and techniques with which art is born and created. It is obvious that his energy went into painting, but he also picked photography along the way, specifically, while he was in college. “I’d go out in the street and shoot…it’s very different from home, very busy life out there, but being in the city gave me a very different perspective to even capture things though my camera”, he recalls.

He believes that there is a connection between painting and photography in the sense that both things are pictures through different mediums. Photography, he says, helps you capture the moment but emphasizes that “painting has more emotion.” “There are some things I’d forget if I had not taken the picture, and so photography helps me retain thoughts and ideas”, he confesses.

Given a choice, he says, he would pick painting any day although of late, he has been doing more of photography just to get more command over photography.

There is also something called “Installation Art” which is not confined to a gallery space. He experimented his first installation at Mussoorie during an Art Retreat, wherein they actually went outdoors to paint but the sight of a rock with a huge crack inspired him to do something different and neatly filled the rock. Aptly called “Healing the Wound”, Vikhor says that “sometimes you just make it and leave it there, it is more of a permanent medium since installation art involves more labour, effort and time.”

In the recent times, he has also been experimenting “furniture designs”, some of his fine workds that include impressive lamps, stools and other things, which, he calls it, some of his newer experiment. When asked how this came about, he says, “been away from home for too long, I realized that it is very difficult even to get a piece of wood in the city, but when I came back, I found that there are so many things lying around me…with those collection, I thought I’d make something.”

While on the other hand, he loves outdoors, and would be trekking and hiking when not painting. The keen adventurer in him has taken him to Dzükou as many as 7 times; he has also gone trekking to Japfü, Puliebadze, Kapamodzü and is looking forward to exploring Saramati soon. He doesn’t mind carrying around his camera that weighs 3 kgs just because he does not want to regret later. Dzükou valley, one can see has immensely fascinated him, which, is also why he has been there in all the different seasons.

Talk of colours, and it’s back to painting even as he quickly responds with “Green and Black”. Green, because it signifies life and is the main product in Nagaland. We are always surrounded by green and I feel alive when I see green, he explains, while black is because, it is strong and although dark, it is only in the dark that something becomes prominent, he adds.

Art, for him is something that can be conveyed through pictures, colours, shades and is a self expression of the Artist even as he strongly conveys that “Art is a very powerful tool and if not used carefully, can be destructive not only for the artist but the society at large.” His paintings often speak for themselves as they are very direct projection. More on his art and he says, that “so far I’ve done mostly works which has a story in it, to tell stories through art. Coming from an oral culture with no recorded history, it’s like documenting a culture in a way.”

But to make art a profession is a real challenge. “I would not be wrong to say that all artists struggle because no doubt, art is expensive…it’s not just the product but the connection the artists start to build. There are works that artists are not willing to part for any price.”

He further enlightens that a painting is expensive because it cannot be produced as a mass production. “It is a unique piece although there is no guarantee that your work is going to sell.” However, the consolation when you sell your art, he says, is that it is with someone and it’s still there somewhere. He finds great joy in a finished work, just  looking at a finished painting, sit there and watching it for a long long time gives you satisfaction, not because it is going to sell, but is a finished work.

Well, the love of art has taken him places…he has attended and conducted workshops in several places across the country including Delhi, Varanasi, Mussoorie, Dimapur, Kohima. He has judged several painting competitions held on occasions such as World Bamboo Day, Fire Safety Week, Rabindranath’s Birth Anniversary, Set Designs during Hornbill Ball and also Doordarshan Kohima. 

He won the first Hornbill Photo Hip Fest Competition, and also featured in the consolation list for the same competition last year while in painting, he is a winner in the 24th Nagaland State Art exhibition from 1st-7th December 2009, as well as the Recipient of the Young Talent award instituted by the NEZCC.

It is towards his endeavour in promoting art that someday, he would like to set up a studio and have artists work together on a weekly or monthly basis…a platform where public will have more accessibility and not only the artists but the public will also understand art better. One of his future plans also include an International Art Retreat Centre, a place where artists and art lovers, writers, photographers, anyone can come, set somewhere away from the city, just to be with fellow artists, and also bring tourism to the state while enabling local artists and international artists learn from each other. The Painter/Photographer/Art Teacher who also gives home based art classes has recently formed a group called “Artists Collective”, just to create an art movement, to meet and encourage each other.

To a young artist with such creativity, only the sky is the limit.

The Passionate Foodie

While it seems Henry Chisüte spent quite a number of years trying several other pursuits, he ultimately went back to living one of his biggest and first dreams. That he is passionate about food is easy to see the moment you strike a conversation with him.
One may find it interesting to learn that he had a couple of other careers in mind before he took the big plunge and settled for a Chef & a Baker rolled into one, which, given the society’s attitude are not the fanciest of ambitions. If you ask him of childhood, he will tell you with a grin, “We were kids…and I wanted to become a pilot, but never took up Science.”
Instead, he studied English Literature from Jamia Milia Islamia University in New Delhi after his 12th from Mezhür Higher Secondary School Kohima. That he also pursued a Diploma in Software Applications and further taught in Northfield School for 3 years makes an intriguing resume.
But obviously, his passion has always been something else: food. So, who was his inspiration? It is without any hesitation that he says, “Definitely my mother.” Well, he also learnt to cook rice before his sister did. Part of his inspiration also comes from Jamie Oliver and Anthony Bourdain, but he is largely inspired by India’s most celebrated cookbook author Nita Mehta “who not only founded the largest publishing house of Cookbooks Indian Cookery books, Indian Cuisine, International Cuisine India but is also the force behind a successful chain of Cooking Academies and has done cooking programmes for various TV channels and has conducted cooking classes in USA, UK, Canada and several other countries.”
Henry actually trained under the renowned chef and writer while he was still pursuing his studies in Delhi - something he delighted in after college but sort of kept it something of a little secret without too many people knowing about it. When he finally decided to pursue his first love, he opened KC’s Kitchen in 2010 (KC, which actually stands for his initials - Kaihrü Chisüte, although he is more popularly known as Henry). He started the kitchen with the take away concept, but eventually realised that it is not very feasible in the town as our society is yet to open up to the idea of eating out or ordering in.
Still, it runs with a few chairs spread around and with regulars like chow & momo in the menu, which he previously called noodles & dumplings. But given the unfamiliarity for these names, he says, “Our people shy away from trying it, thinking it’s something new”, which is why he went back to good old chow/momo. Nobody in Nagaland can plead ignorance of these two well-loved names, right?
A specialty in KC’s Kitchen is KC’s Wrap which is his creation blending 3 different cuisines, namely Mexican, Lebanese & Indian. The menu also lists Tandoori Chicken, Afghani Chicken, Cholay Batura, etc, in the menu.
Henry also exhibits his culinary skills at a Cafeteria in Modern College and The Grid, which is placed in the heart of Kohima town, and caters to food & beverages such as Steam Boat, Pad Thai, Carnivore Rice, Fish & Chip, Egg & Bacon, Spicy Minced Salad, French Fries, Burger (Combo), Beef Wrap, Noodles/Soup Noodles, and Choco Mousse, Coffee, Latte, Iced Tea, Lemon Tea, Green Tea, Fruit Beer, etc.
One of his personal favourites, he says, is North Indian, something, which he started doing even without learning. “The infusion of different masalas you use is very interesting…there is nothing so intriguing as Indian,” he expresses as he goes on to say that there are people who can be very natural, very simple but make it tasty…like a clear clean soup.”
Measurement, he emphasises is an important thing. Nagas generally indulge in a greater measurement of salt and chilly, but when you do it professionally, he states the need to think about others who do not take too much.
When it comes to baking, he says, “It requires much precision in terms of measurement.” He further enlightens that baking follows procedures, which is probably why, he seems more drawn to cooking. “When you cook, you get to experiment a lot of different things and it kind of surprises you as well.” But that does not stop him from baking either as is evident from the orders for cakes that keep pouring in and he is happy to indulge in it. Actually, he has just baked a 5-pound cake, catering to an order.
He feels that ‘eating out’ among our people has improved in recent years, which, he ascribes to both parents working in many families. The trend is especially noticeable during weekends with families going out for dinner. He also sees that there are two different sections of people who go out to eat - the young and the older generation. “I am glad because a lot of youngsters have gone places and are open to the idea of eating out”, he says.
He has catered to as many people numbering 1000 with the help of 5 assistants, taking about 5-6 hours for the preparation although, if it is main course, the prep time is about 12 hours.
He also finds it intriguing that there is much ado about men who cook and are the main chefs when since time immemorial 99% of kitchen assistants have been male in restaurants and eateries.
On the other hand, observing that winter is the peak season for cakes, he looks forward to baking more cakes while especially showing interest for
October, which, he terms it as a ‘big month’ with plans to bake 4 cakes consecutively for family alone.
But the most fun part, he insists, is ‘Potluck’ with friends. One can easily see his passion for food because it’s undoubtedly something he is up to most of the time.
In the near future, he plans to run a Coffee House while keeping in mind that we rarely find places with breakfast menu round the clock, although it seems to me, he’s already got his hands very happily full.

Nancy Epao~ Living the Hollywood Dream

Hollywood, for the rest of us, is just a fascinating dream. Only a few distinguished people make a name for themselves there for the big global audience to see. Nancy Epao also did not exactly set out for Hollywood. In fact, she says it is by accident and not by design that she is in the film industry.

Although she says, ‘If accidents such as this could be deemed as living a dream, I’d say ‘absolutely!’’

Over a decade’s journey into Hollywood and she has to her credit a long list of works that some of us can only dream about. She has produced films, Promos and PSAs, Commercials and numerous Music Videos, some of which include the MTV Awards T.A.T.U video in 2005, PSA (Public service Announcement) for Boys and Girls Club of America with actress Lisa Vidall which raised over $4 Million dollars for the charity foundation,  INFAMY documentary feature which she put together with Emmy Award winning Director Doug Pray and was the headliner for ResFest 2005 which was screened in over 40 countries around the world and also a highlight at South by Southwest Festival in the same year.

She has worked with the likes of Nicholas Cage and Catherine Zeta Jones, as she did with living legends like Ringo Starr, Smoky Robinson, Temptations, etc. all of which she recalls as ‘exciting’.

But her most personal memorable and fun project, she says, would be with Def Leppard as she goes on to explain: “I grew up listening to them and knew almost every word of every song. Working and hanging out with them for over a week transported me and my sister to another dimension altogether. Aside from getting to see their rehearsals and VIP tickets to their concert, the way they treated me and my crew and maintaining a contact till today is exceptional.”

As a soccer fan, Nancy says, she also enjoyed doing the video for the FIFA 2006 official theme song “I wanna dance” with Lumidee, a remake of Whitney Houston’s song “I wanna dance with somebody”. Another feat certainly would be “The Stranger”, finalist in the 7th Annual Hollywood Film Festivals, directed by Brad Furman and starring Xander Berkley, Pat Healy, Steven Guttenberg and Dylan Smith. She also did a PSA short film for RAINN charity organisation (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) called UNBROKEN with Rachel Bilson also directed by Brad Furman and secured sponsors and doing marketing for Par Coeur Gala Paris 2009 for Eva Longoria and first lady of France Carla Bruni Sarkozy for MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION France with her partner Andreas Kutzer.

Nancy with Nuno of Extreme

Having achieved so much, it comes as no surprise that she is also the first North Eastern flight attendant in Jet Airways, much ahead of the time she got into Hollywood. This, she remembers is also “pure accident”, because she had not intended to apply as Hindi was not her most fluent language and besides the airline was not known to employing North Easterners/Orientals. For her, the interview was impromptu accompanied by a resume written on the spot. But looking back she says, it was the most fun interview she ever had.

“I was very surprised when they called the same day to announce that I passed and I’m due for a series of tests and screenings. That was such uplifting news, considering that I had just returned to Bombay after mourning the loss of my dearest father in Dimapur. He would not have approved that line of career, but what does a young girl do with such an opportunity. I did great through my training although I cringed at the burst of laughter every time I stood up to the microphone to practice my Hindi announcements.” “I was also very lucky to have teachers that truly cared and encouraged me. The highlight of my time at Jet Airways was being selected to be the only attendant to Prince Andrew as he flew with his entourage, and getting a sandalwood garland from him as a present”, she fondly recalls.

Nancy Epao was born in Pfutsero and did her schooling in Nagaland spread between Pfutsero, Kohima and Dimapur. She did her higher secondary studies in Mount Carmel School, New Delhi, after which she came back to Nagaland for a BA degree at Patkai Christian College, and subsequently did her Masters in English Literature from Bombay University.

Further on to her dream world and she explains, “While aspiring to be a film producer was not specifically a childhood dream, my passion and heart was always arts, be it Visual Arts, Applied Arts or the Performing Arts. Being in the film industry allows me to stay connected with this passion. The business side can be challenging and the competition is very stiff. However, almost every other aspect is art in the making - from hair and make-up artists, set builders and decorators (art department), wardrobe stylists, musicians, dancers, actors, directors, photography, all these touch an area of art I revel in.”

Recalling that she did not grow up watching movies with her TV times very minimal and monitored with eagle eyes, she goes on to say that this may explain why she did not connect her dreams with film making as a young girl. So it was more like a discovery rather than a set goal, says the high flying Chakhesang Producer-achiever.

Looking back on her first experience in film production, she says, “Most people pursuing a career in films have a diploma or degree in film course either in college or special career courses in universities here in the US.” She, on the other hand, did not have this privilege, but says, “I dove in first and learned the craft as I went along. My beginning days were filled with excitement and I was willing to do anything from helping a painter paint the wall a crazy colour, to doing craft service (the person in charge of supplying the cast and crew with a table filled refreshments….not the caterer and quite a lower position in the hierarchy of set crew), PA (production assistant –lowest of the set crew).”

“I did it happily because I wanted to learn by doing, not just by watching, besides, being on the set was so thrilling to me”, she confesses.

Nancy does think that her Naga background has an influence on her as she feels that growing up in Nagaland basically gave her the tools for being resourceful and creative while pointing to ‘our playgrounds - climbing trees, running in the open fields, rolling in the mud on a rainy day: our toys – making dolls out of corn ears and tricycles out of wood, summer vacations - helping grandparents in rice fields. Then, as young girls, we cultivate hobbies such as knitting, making dresses for our dolls, cross-stitching, embroidery, weaving…all sorts of handicraft that most Naga children grow up with.’

“All these equipped me to handle many situations that come up on set and in life. A Naga Christian upbringing most of all, coupled with a firm lesson

from my father to uphold Naga legacy of honesty, respect and honour no matter what, are my guiding posts”, she says.

Nancy with Celine Dion

Marking her 14th year in the profession this year, she insists, “I’m still learning, growing and loving it. I continue to work towards a higher goal. I have a deep desire to somehow put Nagaland in the map in this industry. All up to God.”

The greatest challenge in her field, she says is “People. Human dynamics. It’s all about team work in production. Every project has several arms/departments and when one area fails, it affects the entire project. Of course, for big projects such as major feature films, financing is always a challenge. But that also boils down to people/human relationships at the end. I remember what my father would tell me often “learn the art of human management and everything else is easy”.

Currently, her focus is on feature films...knee deep in securing investments for several projects with great cast attachments such as Brad Furman, director of Lincoln Lawyer, who, she says, actually came up through her old company and they have been through several film projects and some years of trials and errors and success as well. “Optikal Noize, Inc. (new company with my partner Andreas Kutzer) we have aligned ourselves with a well established Hollywood film house as a strategic partner. We hope to make an announcement soon with some good news”, she beams.

Although, there is no immediate plan or clear idea how to fulfil her desire of giving back to our people (in her words), Nancy expresses passionately, “My heart is in Nagaland…I do believe that it will crystallise when the time is right. One way would be bringing well known dancers/choreographers, musicians, producers and recording technicians, record label executives, film directors, etc, to Nagaland and give guidance and lessons to young talents. I try to stay on track with what young Nagas are doing in these fields and I’m so impressed and proud. However, that final polish is lacking sometimes. And of course, exposure. I feel that this will not only enhance these areas but also bring focus to our tremendous talents and to Nagas as a people through influential media movers and shakers. I do believe that God will show the way and at the right time.”

When asked where she sees herself five years from now, she says, “In a perfect world, I would be riding on the success of the projects I am currently working on at the moment, and hopefully be working on a film project tied to Naga history.”

But as a main and the most important note, Nancy Epao insists, “I am where I am, doing what I do, all because of God’s incredible blessings and favour. I am amazed everyday by God’s tremendous endless love. I have experienced many miracles; overcome many an obstacle, because God’s umbrella of protection is always over me. It is true that trusting in God whole heartedly and having an unflinching faith in Him leads you far beyond your dreams.”

“Any credit I receive will be incomplete without mentioning my dearest sister Adule who provides me guidance, gives me unconditional love, grounds me and selflessly helps me in my business and pursuit of my dreams. She is my best friend, my little angel. In the absence of living parents, this is my highest treasure in life and my core brain trust. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such an incredible sister”, the successful Hollywood Producer puts across.