Debashish Paul (b. 1994) interrogates the challenges of queer identity within a society dominated by heteronormativity. Trained in sculpture, he completed his BFA from the Indian College of Art and Draftsmanship, Kolkata, and earned his master’s degree from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 2021.

 

Paul’s work engages with performance and installation, utilizing the body as a site of resistance and self-exploration. His notable performances include live presentations at the Prince Claus Fund Biennial Symposium (2023, Sri Lanka) and Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris, 2023). He has also performed at the India Art Fair 2023 (New Delhi), the French Institute of India (New Delhi), and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022-23 as part of a residency and performance program curated by HH Art Space and Nikhil Chopra.

 

Paul is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Prince Claus Seed Fund (2022-23), the Kalanad Scholarship (2022-23) from the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, and the Inlaks Fine Art Award (2022) from the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation. His work has been exhibited internationally, with highlights such as Art Düsseldorf 2023 and Beyond Binaries: Sensing Art through Queer Lensing (KCC, Kolkata, 2021). He has also been featured in the Students’ Biennale (2021, Kochi), Emami Art Open Call Exhibition (2020, Kolkata), and Of Liminal Beings and Other Spaces, curated by Ushmita Sahu (2021, Emami Art, Kolkata).