Ajay De

Ajay De graduated from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Kolkata, and did his post-graduation from Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai. De began his career rather unconventionally, eschewing colour and working on charcoal to convey his experiences on to canvas.

"I channelled my energies into artistic expressions and learnt the right way to stroke the paper with my fingers and thumb, and even my palm, while sketching with a charcoal pencil. I believed there was more truth to black and white, and that colour, although appealing, did not pose a challenge. So black and white tones did not deter me and I was not afraid to swim against the tide. I honed my skills at art colleges, drawing inspiration from my childhood memories, which had left an indelible mark," says De.

His solo exhibitions have been held at various prominent art galleries in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Tokyo.