BIO
Ishita Chakraborty (b. 1989) is an artist and poet born in West Bengal, India. She lives and works between Switzerland and India. She is represented by Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich and Gallery Espace, New Delhi, India.
Chakraborty's artistic practice entails drawings, installations, sound, poetry and performance. She investigates the strategies and the discourse of resistance narrated by individuals, often the subalterns. Their contexts are marked by the traces of displacement, the trauma of colonialism, their articulation in language, oral history, and identity. Her recent works address the issues connected to the climate crisis through an interconnected social justice lens.
She received her MFA degree in 2021 from ZHdk (Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland) and another MFA in 2013 from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. She taught Fine Arts as an assistant professor at Amity University, Kolkata (2016-2018).
Her recent and upcoming group shows include Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Karlsruhe, Germany (2025), APROPOS HODLER at Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland (2024), The River Flows In Our Veins, ART FLOW, Turgi, Switzerland, curated by Christoph Doswald (2025), Seeds and Souls, curated by Christine Eyene, Kunsthalle Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark (2023), Imperial Silhouettes: Shadows of Sovereignty”, curated by Premjish Achari, RIZQ Art Initiative, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2025), Reimagining The Waste Land at Art Heritage Gallery, New Delhi, India (2024), solo exhibition Manor Kunstpreis Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau, Switzerland ( 2025), solo exhibition Freedom Is A Constant Struggle at Museo Vincenzo Vela, Mendrisio, Switzerland (2025), solo exhibition Sleeping in the Bed of Salt in Gallery Espace, New Delhi, India (2023), Solo Exhibition In Other Words at Vitrine Gallery, Basel, Switzerland (2023), Solo Exhibition I Recall The Forest Inside Me at Galerie Peter Kilchmann Zurich, Switzerland (2025), The Scent of Rice at Kulturfolger, Zurich, Switzerland (2023), 8 Weiertal Biennale Common Ground curated by Sabine Rusterholz, Switzerland (2023), Stranger in the Village Aargauer Kunsthaus, Switzerland (2023), Co- Habitations, We ARE AIA, (2023), Zurich, Switzerland, Serendipity Art Festival Goa, India (2023), Hyundai Art For Hope (2023), India, Exotische Pflanzen Im Garten - Was tun? Auswahl 22 Aargauer Kunsthaus (2022) Switzerland, The Mouth Is For Speaking at We ARE AIA, Löwenbräu, Zurich (2022) curated by Martina Huber, LifeLines at Johann Jacobs Museum, Zurich (2021), curated by Roger M. Buergel and Francesca Ceccherini, Hermes Trismegistos Dreams of Futures within Futures at Die Diele (2021) in Zurich curated by Damian Christinger, Mother Earth Calling in Atelier Mondial(2021) in Basel, Switzerland, She recently had her solo exhibitions in Keinraum in Luzern, Switzerland(2021), Prameya Art Foundation, New Delhi, India (2020), Museum Forum Schlossplatz in Switzerland (2017). She has participated in 'Abstract Notations' at Gallery Espace in New Delhi (2020), Small Projects for Coming Communities, Stuttgart, Germany, and Oncurating Project Space (2019) Zurich, What Leaf? What Mushrooms? in Art Container Zurich (2019), Art for peace in Kunsthaus Zofingen in Switzerland (2017).
She has received several grants and awards, including Manor Prize (2024), Aargau, Prix Mobiliere 2024 nomination by Prof. Dr Peter J. Schneemann Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History, University of Bern, Co-Habitation Grant, Pro Helvetia South America (2025), Work Grant by Aargauer Kuratorium, Switzerland (2024), Visiting Artist Fellowship at Lakhshmi Mitaal SAI, HARVARD UNIVERSITY (2020-21), Credit Suisse Förderpreis in Switzerland (2021), Jury award "Selection 21" Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau, Switzerland (2022), Research Grant from Aargauer Kuratorium in Switzerland(2021), POP UP Project grant Pro Helvetia Switzerland (2021), ZHdK Avina Foundation grant in Switzerland (2020).
Chakraborty was awarded a Pro Helvetia Residency in Brazil Amazon(2024), Gästeatelier Krone residency in Switzerland (2017) and Piramal Museum of Art residency in Mumbai, India (2016). She has presented artist talks in WE ARE AIA, Löwenbräu Zurich(2022-23), Aargauer Kunsthaus, Switzerland (2021), KHOJ PEERS Residency, New Delhi, India (2018), Culture Clash in Dock Basel, Switzerland (2017), Rajya Charukala Parishad in Kolkata (2017), and Museum Forum Schloss Platz Aarau, Switzerland (2017).