Debashish Paul, a multidisciplinary artist born in 1994 in the Nadia district of West Bengal, explores the problems of queer identity in a society dominated by heterosexual norms. Paul graduated with a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the Indian College of Art and Draftsmanship Kolkata, and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
Paul has exhibited and performed nationally and internationally including Samudra Manthan or The Stir of the Milk Ocean at Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Ternife, Spain, 2024 as part of a residency; The Magic of the Silver Swan curated by Kinnari Sariya, Bowes Museum, Bernard Castle, UK, 2023-24; Prince Claus Fund Biennial Symposium in Sri Lanka, 2023; Performance program with HH Art Space, supported by Pro Helvetia’s To-gather International Collaboration, 2023; Cite internationale des arts, Institut Francais Paris Residency supported by Prameya Art Foundation, and the French Institute in India in 2023; Kochi-Muziris Biennale Performance Residency in collaboration with HH Art Space and Nikhil Chopra, 2022-2023; The Students’ Biennale in Kochi, 2021; Of Liminal Beings and Other Spaces at Emami Art, Kolkata, 2021; Beyond Binaries: Sensing Art through Queer Lensing at KCC, Kolkata, 2021; and Emami Art Open Call Exhibition at Emami Art, Kolkata in 2020.
Emami Art has shown his works at various art fairs, including Art Dubai 2024 in the Bawwaba section as a solo project curated by Emiliano Valdez; India Art Fair 2023 in New Delhi, where he was also the India Art Fair Artist in Residence; and Art Dusseldorf, Germany, in 2023. His recent solo exhibition, A Thousand Years of Dreaming, curated by Mario D’Souza, was held at Emami Art in 2024.
Paul has several awards to his credit, including the Inlaks Fine Art Awards and Residency at 1 Shanthi Road Studio/Gallery, Bengaluru in 2022. He has participated in the Kala Sakshi Workshop in 2021. Paul was awarded the Kalanad Scholarship 2022-23 by the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation; the Seed Award by the Prince Claus Fund in 2022; the Inlaks Fine Art Award by Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation in 2022; the Allegro 1st prize by Contemporary LYNX, London in 2021 and the Indian Artist Relief Fund 2021 by Museum of Art and Photography in partnership with 1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery.
Debashish Paul lives and works in Varanasi and Nadia, West Bengal.
