Profile:

Rajesh Deb is a contemporary Indian artist whose practice is grounded in printmaking and extended through an engagement with broader visual and conceptual concerns. Born in 1979, he completed his Master of Visual Arts (M.V.A.) from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, where he developed a rigorous technical and conceptual foundation, particularly in the discipline of printmaking.

Deb’s early career was marked by consistent academic and institutional recognition. He received the Rabindra Bharati University Annual Exhibition Award in 2004 and 2005, followed by the Nirad Baran Smriti Award (2006) and the University Gold Medal (2006)—distinctions that affirmed his position as a promising printmaker within the academic art milieu of Kolkata. His work reflects a disciplined approach to process, surface, and repetition, while remaining open to conceptual exploration.

He exhibited regularly at the Academy of Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, Kolkata, from 1999 to 2003, establishing an early presence within one of the city’s most important institutional platforms. His subsequent participations include the CIMA Workshop Exhibition (2004), the National Exhibition, Mumbai (2004), Rethinking Bengal (2005), and Outsider (2006). In 2007, he was selected for Gen Next at Aakriti Art Gallery, Kolkata, an exhibition that highlighted emerging practices in contemporary Indian art.

In addition to exhibitions, Deb has actively participated in several national seminars and workshops between 2004 and 2005 in New Delhi, as well as the Khoj International Workshop, Kolkata (2006), among other professional engagements. These interactions contributed to the expansion of his practice beyond academic frameworks, situating his work within larger contemporary and experimental contexts.

Rajesh Deb’s career reflects a sustained commitment to printmaking as both a technical discipline and a conceptual medium. Through exhibitions, workshops, and academic recognition, he has established himself as a thoughtful practitioner contributing to the evolving discourse of contemporary Indian graphic and visual art.