Uttam Chitrakar
Āmarā mānaba jāti ēka māẏēra santāna
ō ābāra kē'u bā ābāra hindu halāma,
kē'u bā ābāra musalamāna
ēka māẏēra santāna.
We, men, are children of the same mother
Some become Hindus
Some Muslims
Children of One Mother.
(Excerpts from a local Patua folk song)
Born in 1991, Uttam Chitrakar studied under his father the foundational techniques of painting at the age of twelve. Building upon this strong foundation, he sought to refine his craft by seeking mentorship from the esteemed Swarna Chitrakar and garnered expertise in Kalighat-style paintings on paper and canvas. He has participated in programs in Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kerala, Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Puducherry, and Chennai, enriching his artistic perspective through exposure to diverse cultures. He has been bestowed with ‘Ojas Art Protégé Artist’ in 2018 where he was part of the group exhibition 'SATRANGI 2018: AN EXHIBITION OF PATACHITRA ART FROM BENGAL'. He has exhibited in institutions such as Chitrakala Parishad in Bengaluru, IGNCA in Delhi, Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata, and Crafts Museum in Delhi.