Prasanta Sahu, born 1968 Odisha, India completed his diploma in Electrical Engineering (1987) before enrolling to study art at Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. Here he earned his BFA in painting (1998) followed by a Masters degree in painting from M.S. University, Baroda (2000), graduating with summa cum laude from both universities. Over the last twenty years, Sahu has worked across mediums, including painting and drawings, sculpture, installation, photography. His works find meaning in revealing details hidden within the quotidian. His rural upbringing and agrarian background offers an empathetic, insider view of the plight of small-scale farmers and migrant labourers who inhabit his works. Sahu’s process of studying and representing these ‘unknown and faceless’ essential service providers, is rooted in reality. The artist takes an investigative approach in documenting his subjects though in-depth interviews. Subsequently by introducing parts of this collated data along with personal ruminations and experiential reinterpretation of evidential material, Sahu flawlessly melds the fictive and real in a move towards poietic exegesis. Sahu has shown widely both within and outside the country and participated in numerous workshops and residencies. Some selected participations are: ‘Blue India’ Art Asia art Fair Korea, (2018); ‘Constellations’ Bihar Museum, Patna (2018); ‘Response’ a new-media and installation show at Gem Cinema CIMA art gallery, Kolkata –(2018); ‘Postcards’ Busan International art Fair, Korea (2017); 16 young contemporary artists, Karnataka Chithrakala Parisath, Bangalore-(2017); Daegu-India Korean Fine Arts Association South Korea-(2015-2017); 7th Biennial of contemporary Indian art, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal-(2017); ‘Blueprint of a city’ Solo Show at Kalakriti Art Gallery Hyderabad (2016); Jaipur Art Summit-(2014); International art exchange programme, Faculty of Fine and applied art, Burapha University, Thailand, (2014); ‘India Today, Copenhagen Tomorrow’ sculpture exhibition, Denmark (2013); ‘Small is Big’ – Contemporary Miniature art, Durbar Hall Gallery, Kochi (2012); ‘Urban Discord’ gallery Romain Rolland Alliance Francaise de, Delhi, and Hong Kong-(2009) ; Art for Freedom’ organized by Tehelka art and Aicon gallery, London (2008) ; ‘A MAZ ING’ Jehangir art gallery, Mumbai, RPG Enterprises (2008); ‘The Promissory Maze’ 1x1 Art Gallery Dubai (2008); ‘V I S (V) A’ a chronicle of difference, three person show at Aicon art Gallery, New York-(2008); International Art Fair, Rome (2007); ‘Emerging India’– The Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London (2007); ‘Ways of Seeing’ India Habitat Center (2005) ; ‘The Sense of Touch’ – a two person show at Guild art Gallery, Mumbai, catalogue essay by Nancy Adajania (2005); Sahu has been invited as visiting faculty by several universities including the Faculty of Fine and Applied arts, Burapha University, Thailand; University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; University of Hyderabad, Sarojini Naidu School of Fine Arts and Communication, Hyderabad. Among his other interests are writing poetry in his mother-tongue Oriya; he is a talented Hindustani classical violinist and an avid biker. Since 2001, Sahu has been teaching in the department of painting in his alma mater Kala Bhavana (Faculty of Fine art), Visva Bharati University. Prasanta Sahu lives and work in Santiniketan, India.