Debarchan Rout (Profile)
Debarchan Rout (b. 1981, Bhubaneswar, India)
About his work
A young painter, Debarchan Rout’s artistic versatility shows in all aspects of his practice: formally, technically, content-wise and emotively.
While (western style academic) realism has been a stronghold with Rout, he has never let that become a staid habit, and his pictorial and formal universe is anyway enriched by many other diverse influences – be it Patachitra techniques and motifs or influences from other Indian folk and miniature traditions. Debarchan manages to accomplish a difficult task effectively – that of merging traditional miniature vocabulary with large format realism / abstraction.
His technical prowess is fertilised with the power of varied pictorial and narrative ideas, like folk tales, mythology, and art historical references. Rout is happy to be working in multiple realms, from works that are easily comprehensible to those that create irony and humour, from works that appeal instantly to those that are darker, quieter, and need more engagement to reveal their magic to the viewer.
In the artist’s words: “Even in this atmosphere of new media work being given precedence over more traditional art practices like painting, I have made a conscious decision to primarily engage with the discipline of painting. Formal concerns hence are of utmost importance to me… I believe hence, that even though the mediums I use may not be traditional, my work presents itself as closer to the Indian aesthetic in style, sensibility, imagery or thought.”
Education
- V.A (Recipient of Gold Medal); Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar; 2017
- F.A (First Division with Distinction); Dhauli College of Art & Crafts, Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar; 2004
Solo Exhibitions
- Sawan Navrasa; Presented by Red Earth at Alliance Francaise de Delhi, New Delhi; 2014
- The Monsoon Chapter 6; Presented by Red Earth at Alliance Francaise de Delhi, New Delhi; 2011
Selected Group Exhibitions
- Cabinet of Curiosities; Presented by Red Earth at KK Square, Jaipur; 2019
- Nidagha; ABJA Foundation, Bhubaneswar; 2018
- National Dhauli Art Festival; Bhubaneswar; 2017
- North East Painting Camp; Lalita Kala Kendra, Bhubaneswar; 2017
- Signature of Diversity 2; India Habitat Centre, New Delhi; 2014
- Spring; Museum Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2013
- Imaging Sai; Curated by Sushma Bahl at Gallery Art Positive, New Delhi; 2011
- Yeh Hai India Darling!; XVA Gallery, Dubai; 2011
- Icons in Our Midst; Curated by Artspeaks India at Qutub Hotel, New Delhi; 2011
- The Monsoon Festival 5, Curated by Red Earth at Exhibit 320 and Latitude 28, New Delhi; 2010
- The Monsoon Festival 4, Curated by Red Earth at Gallerie Nyva, New Delhi; 2009
- Towards a New Viewership; Art & Deal / Bakul Foundation, New Delhi & Bhubaneswar; 2009
- Dimensions and Directions; Mon Art Gallery, Kolkata; 2008
- Tribute to Bapuji; Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendra, Bhubaneswar; 2007
- Orissa Lalit Kala Akademi, Bhubaneswar; 2005
Scholarships & Residencies
- Felicitation from Eastern Foundation of Art, Bhubaneswar, Odisha; 2019
- State Level Painting Camp; Odisha Lalita Kala Akademi; 2018
- Felicitation from National Dhauli Art Festival; Bhubaneswar; 2017
- National Painting Camp at Taptapani; Rashtriya Lalita Kala Kendra, New Delhi; 2009
- Research Grant / Scholarship; Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi; 2008-09
- Dhauli College Annual Award; 1999-2004
Other Achievements
- Founder of ABJA Foundation, a non-profitable trust that focuses on the production of new artistic works by emerging artists
Collections
- Priya Paul / Park Hotels
- Shobhana Bhartia / Hindustan Times
- Mohit Gupta, New Delhi
- Other private collections