Arpan Mukherjee: Lens-based Artist 

Artistic Intention

My practice is rooted in a curiosity about the politics of photographic language — how photographs are made, how they are viewed, and how they shape our understanding of the present. I am drawn to archival photographs, not only as historical records but as living images that can be reinterpreted in today’s context.

In my work, I reflect on archival images and processes by creating new photographs through specific methods. These processes often carry the weight of a particular time, era, or material, and by re-engaging with them, I seek to open a dialogue between the past and the present.

For me, the act of making, capturing, and viewing photographs is never neutral — it is deeply political. My practice attempts to unravel these layers while exploring how photography shapes memory, identity, and truth. Alongside my own artistic journey, I engage in research, teaching, workshops, and collaborations, building conversations that connect history, practice, and contemporary concerns.

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Bio

Arpan Mukherjee is a Santiniketan-based artist and educator with a rich exhibition history. He has shown his work at major national and international platforms, including the Chennai Photo Biennale, Kolkata International Photo Festival, Lishui Photo Festival (China), and Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa. Most recently, he presented work at the Bengal Biennale 2024, held at the Alipore Jail Museum, Kolkata, which took place from November 29, 2024, to January 5, 2025 . Prior to that, he collaborated with the British Library and CSMVS, Mumbai, to reprint 19th-century archaeological photographs using historical processes — a project on view at CSMVS until May 2023. His most recent solo exhibition was held at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai (2024–25).

Arpan holds a BFA and MFA in Printmaking and serves as Associate Professor of Printmaking at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan. He is also co-founder of Studio Goppo, an artist-run research space dedicated to historical photographic practices.