Subhendu Mishra with his painting.
Subhendu Mishra’s art captures the fading traces of Odisha’s rich folk culture—an inheritance gradually overshadowed by the pace of modern life. Traditions once deeply embedded in daily living now survive mostly through rituals and scattered practices. Art forms such as Pattachitra and mural painting, which once flourished, are today slipping into memory.
Through his work, Mishra reinterprets these traditions in a contemporary language. He transforms the essence of wall paintings into canvas compositions and breathes new life into mask-making traditions by incorporating them into his paintings. His approach is both archival and innovative—preserving while reimagining.
His solo exhibition Lupta, which opened on 30 April 2026 at LTC Gallery, Bikaner House, New Delhi, reflects this exploration. The show was inaugurated by senior artist Ashok Bhowmick, with artists Asit K. Pattnaik, Kumar Vikas Saxena, and Bipin Bihari Martha present as guests of honour.
Mishra’s works are striking—layered with faded echoes of folk imagery alongside vividly rendered masks inspired by traditional papier-mâché forms. His use of vibrant colours and rhythmic figures lends the paintings a sense of movement and elegance, creating a bridge between past and present. Presented here are glimpses from the exhibition.
Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj, Praveen Mahto, Asit Kumar Pattanaik, Rajendra Prasad Singh and other guest.
Ashok Bhowmich, Subhendu Mishra and Asit Kumar Pattnaik
Uday Shankar, Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj and Sajal Patra
Kumar Vikas Saxena, Asit K Pattnaik, Kenha and Sheetal Verma.
Moham. Naseem Khan and Rajendra prasad singh
Text by Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj
Photography by Praveen Mahto
Art News India 
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