TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

"When you're creating, you can be fearless. But fear is what makes your pieces more interesting." — Abhay Sehgal

How do you go from studying fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to building a global surreal art brand, launching the streetwear label Code BRWN, and capturing modern Indian identity through memory and chaos?

In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with contemporary surreal artist, SAIC alumnus, and Code BRWN founder Abhay Sehgal. Abhay shares his journey from experimenting with darker art and Salvador Dalí-inspired surrealism to returning to Delhi, where he weaves memory, psychology, and Indian culture into a globally recognized aesthetic.

Abhay chats about his philosophy on why emotional tension and fear give art its depth, how disruption and travel spark his best conceptual work, why he prefers keeping his personal identity separate from his art, and the idea of fine art accessible to a new generation across India and the diaspora. We touched also on the challenges of this past year through allegations of plagiarism, mimicry, and AI art, and how he has grown tremendously as an artist

If you enjoy deep conversations on art, culture, identity, creative risk, and South Asian storytelling, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE!

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CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Teaser: "Fear is what makes your pieces more interesting"
01:05 - Sponsor Break: Travelopod
01:24 - Welcome & Introducing Contemporary Surrealist Abhay Sehgal
02:49 - The Meaning of "Abhay": Fearlessness in Creative Expression
04:22 - Dark Art, Mental Health & Balancing Cheerfulness with Tension
06:21 - Personality vs. Art: Why Keeping Identity Secondary Matters
10:16 - From SAIC Chicago to Delhi: Falling in Love with Surrealism
12:23 - Nostalgia, Heritage & Memory as Creative Anchors
16:12 - Sponsor Break: TRAVELOPOD and Lotus Lane Coffee
16:37 - Routine vs. Disruption: Why Chaos Multiplies Creativity
19:36 - Bridging Two Worlds: Why Diaspora Audiences Connect with Surreal Art
24:35 - Code BRWN & Streetwear: Making Fine Art Accessible
27:19 - Sponsor Break: Timberdog Ruffrest
27:48 - Redefining Trust, Inspiration & Growth After a Year of Creative Challenges
33:09 - Fine Art, Public Spaces & The Power of Community Art
36:20 - Redefining Success, Social Media & Staying Authentic
41:01 - "Walk Ten Miles in My Shoes": Triggering Nostalgia in Viewers
42:37 - Outro & Community Shoutouts

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Fear as Tension: Why true creativity requires fearlessness in execution, but emotional tension to make visual art compelling.
• Nostalgia & Identity: How living in Chicago and Delhi shaped Abhay's surrealist lens on modern Indian identity and heritage.
• Navigating Chaos: Why breaking away from mundane routines and embracing disruption sparks new artistic breakthroughs.

GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
🎨 Explore Abhay Sehgal's Art & Code BRWN:
https://artbysehgal.com/
https://www.codebrwn.com
Riyaaz and Rebirth showing in the SF Bay Area Sept 18th-19th

Shout outs:
• Artists everywhere creating boldly
• South Asian and Indian-origin students in Texas
• Former guest Rajeev Ram for a legendary career of tennis excellence
• Better food labeling standards in Indian and everywhere

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:
✈️ Travelopod — Custom, personalized travel experiences for destinations like Africa, Japan, Antarctica, and India: https://vacation.travelopod.com
☕ Lotus Lane Coffee — Rooted in India, Roasted in Columbus:
https://lotuslanecoffee.com
🐶 Timberdog Ruffrest — Versatile portable dog beds for travel and camping:
https://timberdog.com/

Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing | Dr. Abhay Dandekar
A mirror and window for global Indians and South Asians through conversation.
Every week, we share chats with artists, leaders, musicians, chefs, experts, change makers, and innovators from the home and diaspora - sharing their journeys and motivations.

For enquiries 📧 Email : info@abhaydandekar.com

Find us on Instagram/ LinkedIn:
https://www.instagram.com/drabhaydandekar/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhaydandekar/

Listen to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform:
🎙️ Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZReYDw6ta5zGuN4iLZ8Pt
🎙️ Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trust-me-i-know-what-im-doing/id1635803563?uo=4
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🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing

#AbhaySehgal #CodeBRWN #Surrealism #IndianContemporaryArt #SAICChicago #AbhayDandekar #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing #DesiDiaspora #IndianStreetwear #ModernIndianIdentity