Shubhadeep Mukherjee is a New Delhi-based photographer and visual artist whose practice explores the themes of migration, memory, and identity through photography, archival materials, and mixed media. His work intricately weaves personal histories with broader socio-political narratives, constructing powerful visual essays that resonate with a universal sense of displacement and belonging. Currently pursuing a Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication at AJKMCRC Jamia Millia Islamia, Mukherjee’s academic background informs his storytelling approach, allowing him to merge documentary practice with conceptual visual narratives.
A self-taught artist, Mukherjee has honed his craft through various international workshops, including the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop and the Storytelling Workshop with Photographers Without Borders.
Mukherjee’s artistic sensibilities are deeply influenced by his background in wildlife biology, which has trained him to observe and document the unnoticed. His work employs a research-driven approach, using personal archives, found objects, and text to map intimate family histories onto larger historical contexts. His series Smells Like Home is an evocative examination of familial migration, drawing from inherited objects, faded passports, and fragmented photographs to reconstruct a sense of home. His images act as acts of reclamation, piecing together fractured histories and inviting the viewer to reflect on the persistence of memory across generations.
His ability to merge visual art with impactful journalism is exemplified in his work as a freelance Analog Photo Illustrator for The Washington Post, where his series was nominated for the 2024 Pulitzer Awards. This experience allowed him to use his artistic skills in illustrating critical social issues, further solidifying his role as a storyteller at the intersection of journalism and visual arts.
For Mukherjee, overcoming creative blocks involves turning to world cinema. He finds that watching films from diverse cultures and genres reinvigorates his imagination, offering fresh perspectives that influence his artistic approach. This practice has become an essential part of his creative process, helping him push the boundaries of his storytelling.
Mukherjee is focused on expanding his artistic practice in multiple directions. He aims to engage more in commissioned work, using both art and photography to reach wider audiences. His primary goal for the year is to secure funding for his long-term project, which he has been working on since 2021, ensuring its completion and impact. Additionally, he is in the early stages of developing his first photo book—an ambitious endeavour that will bring together years of research and artistic exploration.
Alongside these projects, he remains committed to initiating new personal narratives, experimenting with fresh ideas, and continuously refining his skills through workshops and creative engagements.
Through his work, Mukherjee asks fundamental questions: What does it mean to belong? How do we hold onto histories that risk being forgotten? His images, layered with nostalgia, loss, and resilience, seek not only to document history but to actively reshape the way we remember it. As he continues to evolve as an artist, Mukherjee remains dedicated to using his visual language to ignite conversations and preserve the stories that bind humanity together.
