
Biography
Sutapa Biswas is a British artist whose practice spans installation, moving image, photography, and mixed media. Her work explores themes of cultural identity, postcolonial discourse, and the representation of women in contemporary society.
Born in India and raised in the UK, Biswas emerged as a key figure in the British Black Arts Movement of the 1980s. Her practice draws on personal narratives, historical archives, and mythological references to create layered meditations on belonging, displacement, and the construction of self.
Biswas's work has been exhibited internationally at major institutions including Tate Britain, the Venice Biennale, and the Whitechapel Gallery. Her installations combine meticulous attention to material and form with conceptual rigor, creating immersive environments that invite sustained contemplation.
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
- 2024 — Retrospective, Tate Britain, London
- 2023 — Syncretic Moments, Whitechapel Gallery, London
- 2022 — Magnesium Bird, Jhaveri Contemporary, Mumbai
- 2021 — The Cult of Kali, Spike Island, Bristol
- 2019 — Time and Again, Arnolfini, Bristol
Group Exhibitions
- 2024 — Venice Biennale, Venice
- 2023 — British Art Show 9, touring UK
- 2022 — Documenta 15, Kassel
- 2021 — Life Between Islands, Tate Britain, London
- 2020 — The Time is Always Now, National Portrait Gallery, London
Awards & Recognition
- 2023 — Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award
- 2022 — Arts Council England Major Individual Award
- 2020 — Honorary Doctorate, University of the Arts London
- 2018 — Leverhulme Research Fellowship
- 2015 — AHRC Research Grant
Education
- 1985 — MFA, Slade School of Fine Art, University College London
- 1982 — BA (Hons) Fine Art, Leeds Polytechnic