“It’s kind of like an orgasm: it all seems good and you have a drive to it, then once it’s done there’s a small amount of pleasure, then nothing.” After a decade-long journey full of surprise twists and turns to create a graphic novel chronicling the life of guru UG Krishnamurti (UGK), little wonder that artist Nicolas Grey is craving his next challenge.
But the lengthy adventure has been worth it for Grey and long-term pal James Farley, who wrote the text. Now they’re gearing up to exhibit a series of detailed drawings from This Dog Barking – The Strange Story of UGK, alongside the first public showing of the completed work.
“UGK is a person who is very hard to categorise, but touches on many themes,” says Grey, a self-taught artist from the UK. “Indian philosophy, troubled families, failure, the nature of thought and why we think what we think as well as touching on some interesting historical people. When I first read the UG books, one of my first thoughts was that it would make a great comic book. The story is bizarre yet profound, but also very grounded in things I knew, such as homelessness and disillusionment.”
Intending to create a book containing a few drawings and anecdotes on UKG, an Indian guru who questioned enlightenment, Grey and Farley, who are friends from East London, put pen to paper. But as they dug deeper into the life of this little-known cult figure, they discovered a wealth of information that led them to the Himalayas. There, they met many of UKG’s friends and relatives.
“One of many highlights for me was when Nic and I spent two weeks in Sikkim in the Himalayas,” says Farley, who quit his job as a social worker in the UK four years ago to move to Cambodia. “We just travelled between towns, drinking tea, wandering around, chatting, eating our dinner. It was such a pleasant time that I have almost no memories of it. Can’t remember where we went or what we did. It was great.”
The result of this eminently forgettable voyage is 150 pages of drawings and storytelling that weave together the complexities of UGK, his family, antagonists and followers. Says Grey: “When James came to Cambodia, he told me the book was as good as written, but as it turned out the more research we did, the less clear everything became. We went on to meet and get to know many of UGK’s old friends and this was my highlight – meeting a whole bunch of really wonderful people who I feel a very strong connection to.”
This Dog Barking – The Strange Story of UG Krishnaumrti chronicles the bizarre history of The Cosmic Naxalite; from his troubled childhood with the Theosophists and subsequent disillusion with many of the leading spiritual teachers of the 20th century to his catastrophic personal life and years of homelessness and destitution in London and Paris.
The exhibition opening at Java Arts on Tuesday will feature framed original drawings by Grey, an installation of the publication, limited edition items and collected materials on UKG. Next Thursday at 7pm, Farley will read passages from the novel followed by a discussion with Grey.
WHO: Nicolas Grey and James Farley
WHAT: This Dog Barking – The Strange Story of UG Krishnaumrti graphic novel launch
WHERE: Java Cafe and Gallery, 56 Sihanouk Blvd.
WHEN: From 6pm July 9 (opening) until September 1
WHY: Gripping tales of the life of an Indian guru