Jagannath Mohapatra, born in 1969 at Bhadrak, Orissa, completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999 from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, Visva Bharati, and his Masters from the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, 2001. He has done his B.A. (History) from Utkal University and meanwhile studied music. He is an Indian-origin artist of Asian modern and contemporary art.
Even though he was a history student, but chose to be a painter and created contemporary art. His context of the visual domain is linked with the harsh realities of life.
Mohapatra is known for his intense visual narrations, based on his experiences and perceptions of sensitive issues. He depicted through his paintings the complexities of contemporary life. He had made realistic portrayals of child labourers and their day-to-day struggles. His art reproduces the fractured future of child labor through construction sites and architectural backdrops as metaphors.
Artist K G Subramanyan summarises him, “He belongs to the generation of young painters who ground their visuals on the unreality of the realistic image that they encounter in billboards and hoardings, in trade journals and television commercials”.
In a short period, the artist has risen to prominence and stature, which reflects in his string solos and group show participation across leading art galleries like Birla Academy, Kolkata; Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai; Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda; Gallery Kaleidoscope, Baroda; ABS Bayer Gallery, Baroda; Chitrakoot Art Gallery, Kolkata; Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; Son Et Lumiere gallery, Mumbai, and Nazar Art Gallery, Baroda.
He has won the national scholarship and merit scholarship from Kala Bhavana of Visva Bharati apart from the Nandlal Bose scholarship and Krishna Reddy scholarship. His work also forms part of several leading art collections. He has participated in many art camps and workshops such as printmaking workshops by Japanese Watercolor Process and by Canada Printmakers. A student of history, Jagannath Mohapatra chooses painterly themes that are contemporary in context. His visual realm is invariably linked to the realities of life.
He has received a National scholarship, Merit scholarship from Kala Bhavan, Vishva Bharti, Nandadal Bose Scholarship, Lions Club Scholarship of Orissa, and Krishna Reddy Scholarship.
His artwork was showcased at the auction house multiple times. The size of the artwork varies in a price range between 433 USD and 10,926 USD. The highest recorded price for his artwork, Pillar to Structure is 10,926 USD sold at AstaGuru Auction house in 2008.
