Artist Manoj Jain is set to debut his first solo art exhibition, It Didn’t Ask to Be Art, with a preview from 5 to 10 p.m. on 31st May at Soho House, Juhu. Curated by Dheeya Soumaiya, the exhibition will open to the public on June 1st from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., showcasing a closer look into a collection that speaks more to emotional truth than aesthetic intention.
The art pieces are in line with Art Brut, a term coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet, which translates into “raw art”. It aims to present authenticity, originality, and creation that is not defined from societal norms or artistic rules.
It Didn’t Ask to Be Art showcases necessity over ambition. It presents a deeply spiritual journey — a process of confronting and releasing inner chaos, evolving from darkness into clarity. More than born out of a purpose to be hung on exhibition walls, the creations are the artist’s moments of vulnerability, movement, and quiet transformation. They are not finished products, but a living art of metamorphosis.
Manoj’s pieces of art are raw, fluid, and unapologetically incomplete. In battling categorisation, they speak to a kind of creative energy that defies control — something that needed to come out and be witnessed. The result is an emotionally charged and quietly rebellious body of work that invites viewers to reflect on their own evolving states of being.
Speaking about the debut art exhibition, Manoj Jain said, “The work was simply made out of need rather than to be hung on the wall as art pieces. It helped me move through darkness, navigate inner chaos, and in turn find clarity. It’s alive, still changing, and deeply personal — but I believe there’s something universal in that. I wanted art enthusiasts to witness the untold tale that exists in its pure form, i.e. through “It didn’t ask to be art.”
It Didn’t Ask to Be Art is not an answer, but an open-ended question — and that may be its most powerful offering.
