With images of the dilapidated murals and heritage sites in cities like Ladakh & Benares, the work highlights the decay and the lack of conservation of these cultural sites. Overlapped by the industrial plaster and the minimalist mapping with acrylic, the works are a reminder of what we are to lose when we lose our culture replacing them with concrete highways and tunnels. For a country like India, which is rich in heritage, this loss contributes to the loss of our identity as well. The mixed media work includes photographic prints on linen with acrylic and industrial plaster on board. The artwork is influenced by the loss of culture and heritage triggered by urbanization in heritage cities in India. In his earlier practice as well, he has been constantly working with these themes focusing on the city of Benaras/ Varanasi, a city he has called home.
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EXHIBITING ARTIST
Debasish Mukherjee
Debasish Mukherjee (b. 1973) was born in Chhapra, a historically important town in Bihar. He graduated from Banaras Hindu University with a specialization in Painting. Mukherjee manifests his keen observations of India’s built environment, social fabric, and events from his day-to-day life into his art practice. Mukherjee’s work tends to interrogate the way an object or memory is preserved, celebrated, or neglected. He has also conducted extensive research with weavers and artisans across India. His works are part of permanent collections such as the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, The Partition Museum, Delhi and Constitution Museum, Sonipat.