Exhibit open: November 1 – 30
The Garden Cafe is a one of a kind, solo exhibition by Artist and scientist Dr. Jaideep Mathur. This exhibition showcases his love of plants; fascination with colours, flowing water, the play of light and patterns; and the notion of blurring the boundaries between inner and outer spaces.
Jaideep’s intricate mixed media paintings are inspired and informed by his microscope-based observations of living plant cells, and layers of impressions gathered from his scientific expeditions in the Himalayas, and other extensive global travels. Every painting is a journey that combines impressions from the real world with fantasy. Every painting has been created in Jaideep’s studio, without the aid of any recorded images. You are invited to immerse yourself and enjoy the lush vegetation and fascinating, relaxing spaces in the “Garden Cafe II
Artist Bio
An Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Jaideep Mathur unravels the mysteries of shape development in plants and their interactions with the environment employing “living colours”, or fluorescent proteins. The images obtained during his microscopy observations of living cells, are artistic in themselves, and many end up on the covers of peer reviewed scientific journals.
Born in the ancient city of Varanasi, India, Jaideep’s fascination with colour, light and patterns started early on. As a child, he remembers constructing intricate designs from colourful yarn provided by his grandmother, and watching light streaming through the window and his yarn creations. Later on, he could notice the similarities between those early yarn patterns, and the dynamic structures found inside all living cells.
As a budding scientist, Jaideep fell in love with the rich flora and majestic beauty of the Himalayas. During plant gathering expeditions, he explored the rugged terrain and marvelled at the crystal-clear waters of streams and rivers cascading over rocky surfaces and boulders. Later on, his scientific and personal travels took him to numerous countries and beautiful natural places that would provide added layers of inspirations for the paintings. These experiences have ignited a passion for nature that comes through in his artistic expressions.
Jaideep uses small brushes to bring out detail that has become his signature style. His lifelong love of plants, fascination with colours, flowing water, the play of light and patterns, and the notion of blurring the boundaries between inner and outer spaces are leitmotifs in his artistic works.
Previous, informal exhibitions of Jaideep’s paintings were held in Hungary and Germany. Exhibitions of his original artwork, “Garden Cafe”, and “The Beauty of Nature” (in collaboration with John Cutruzzola) were held in 2023 and 2026, respectively, at Gallery 35 in Brampton, Ontario.
