PARTHA PRATIM DEB

Born : 20th November, 1943

Born in Sylhet, Bangladesh, he graduated with Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Kala Bhavan, Visva – Bharati University, Santiniketan and did his Master’s in Painting from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara. As a student, he was immensely inspired by the legends like Benode Behari Mukherjee, Ramkinkar Baij, Nandalal Bose and K G Subramanyan. He also published 99 papers on art education and Nandalal Bose, printed in the journal of the Department of Visual Arts, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, where he later joined as a faculty member and subsequently became the Dean.

His artworks are bright, expressive, painted with strong colours, gently curved lines, depicting his expression and influence of the post-war developments in the field of art in the West. His works speak volume of his individual humour and wit, blended with sensuality and social reality. His works are highly praised, both nationally and internationally, his works form part of the collection of major galleries and museums including the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

Exhibition

(i) 1970 – National Exhibition, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi; annual exhibitions of the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata; Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata; CIMA, Kolkata; group shows by members of the Faculty of Visual Arts, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.

(ii) Solos – 1968, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1997.

(iii) 1998 – ‘Movement of Indian Art – 50 Years of Independence’, Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore; 1998 – ‘Contemporary Artists from Bengal’, Ajah Gallery, Singapore; 2006 – Aicon Art Gallery, New York, the USA.

(iv) 2007 – ‘Pursuit Sculpture’, Galerie 88, Kolkata; 2008 – ‘Review’, CIMA, Kolkata; 2008 – ‘Beyond Convention: A Glimpse of Contemporary Trends in Bengal Art’, Anant Art Gallery, Kolkata; 2009 – ‘La-Mere’, annual exhibition, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Culture, Kolkata; 2009 – ‘The Root of Everything’, Gallery Mementos, Bangalore; 2010 – ‘Symbols and Metaphors’, CIMA, Kolkata; 2011 – ‘Writing Visual’, The Harrington Street Arts Centre, Kolkata.

(v) Solo : 2020 – ‘Gestures’, Emami Art, Kolkata.

(vi) 2020 – ‘Old Bengal: Modern to Contemporary’, Gallery Kolkata, Kolkata; 2022 – ‘Stories in Art’, Gallery Kolkata, Kolkata.

Awards & Honours