Born 1959, West Bengal | Lives and works in Kolkata

Debabrata De is a senior Indian sculptor whose work is deeply rooted in the material and philosophical traditions of modern Indian art. Known for his bold yet sensitive sculptural language, Debabrata combines clay, terracotta, ceramic, and mixed media to express themes of transformation, memory, and collective consciousness. His forms often merge figuration with abstraction, reflecting both personal experience and wider societal concerns.

He studied at the Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship (R.B.U.), Kolkata, earning his Diploma in Fine Arts between 1985 and 1989. Since then, his career has spanned over three decades with numerous solo and group exhibitions across India and abroad.

Debabrata’s solo exhibitions include shows at Tagore Art Gallery and Academy of Fine Arts (Kolkata), Rashtriya Lalit Kala Akademi (New Delhi), Colour & Brush Commercial Gallery (Mumbai), Gallery Sanskriti (Kolkata), and Sheri Dharani Art Gallery. He has consistently exhibited at leading galleries and platforms, including Jehangir Art Gallery, Nehru Centre, Shridharani Gallery, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, and the 8th Triennale India (1994).

Internationally, his works have been showcased in the U.K. at Greenwich Citizen Art Gallery and Ipswich Art Gallery. He has participated in collaborative artist workshops organized by Max Mueller Bhavan, Alliance Française, USIS, Lalit Kala Akademi, and Sanskriti Gallery—focusing on terracotta, ceramic, sculpture, and woodcut techniques. Notable residencies include sculpture camps in Jaipur and Maihar and ceramic workshops in Kolkata.

His work has been featured in exhibitions that reflect a strong commitment to social and political themes, such as Artists Against Communalism (SAHMAT, New Delhi) and Against Terrorism (Sanskriti Art Gallery, 2009). His sculptural vocabulary continues to evolve across media and platforms, engaging critically with contemporary realities.

Debabrata De’s works are part of prestigious collections including Delhi Art College, Birla Academy, Tata Centre (Kolkata), Axis Bank, BP Poddar Group, and the Fukuoka Museum (Japan). Private collectors include eminent artists and thinkers like Jogen Chowdhury, Shuvaprasanna, A. Ramachandran, Altaf, and Javed Akhtar.

His contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including honors from IFACS (1997, 1998, 2002) and the Best Sculptor Award by the Government of West Bengal (2023).