The Craft of Comics: Birla Academy celebrates the art of visual storytelling - GetBengal story
The universe of comics is filled with colour, creativity, and imagination. A terrain where stories find their way onto the page via drawings and words. This November, the Birla Academy of Art & Culture in Kolkata is bringing this universe alive through an exciting new exhibition titled “The Craft of Comics.” Curated by Pinaki De, who is an academic, designer, and artist, and Sujan Mukherjee, the Senior Curator of the Academy. The exhibition will open Saturday, 8 November 2025 at 5 pm and run through Sunday, 7 December 2025 at the Sarala Birla Gallery (1st floor).
This exhibition does not only present comics in the traditional sense, but it also presents the process of making comics. Potentially for the first time, viewers can see how an artist comes up with their ideas, iterates upon artwork and discovers their story in comics form. This exhibit will be a mix of formats, probably including pieces like original drawings, colourful prints, installation pieces, and possibly early sketches and drafts. Each presentation on display allows visitors to engage with comics from their original genesis on paper to a full comics language, response or potential to encourage laughter, thought or imagination.
When discussing the exhibition, Sujan Mukherjee commented that Comics are not simply an entertainment medium; they are a type of visual thinking. We want to show, through this exhibition, how lines, colours, and imagination combine to tell powerful narratives that are beyond just words. He shared that The Craft of Comics is about process, and patience - it celebrates the artist that takes hours to draw, experiment, and layer their ideas before any panel comes to life! We wanted the visitor to see this journey - from the rough draft to the finished story, because that truly is where the magic happens.
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Mukherjee also explained that the show will aim to bridge the distance between fine art and popular art. "We have always believed at Birla Academy that creativity has no limits. Comics today have become an important form in visual culture - they talk about identity, love, memory, and much more. This show exhibits that comics can be as serious and artistic as any painting or sculpture."
The exhibition showcases some of the most recognized and accomplished comic artists and creators from India and abroad. They include Amruta Patil, Appupen, Argha Manna, Chitra Ganesh, Ikroop Sandhu, Ita Mehrotra, Joshy Benedict, Orijit Sen, Priya Kuriyan, Sankha Banerjee, Sarbajit Sen, Sarnath Banerjee, and Vishwajyoti Ghosh. The comics of this group of artists each have their unique voice and style. Some comics are deep and reflective, stories about life and society and others are playful, bursting with fantasy and colour. Each artist's work reinforces what a healthy and nuanced world of comics we have.
The inauguration will be further highlighted by the special presence of Malavika Banerjee, Trustee of Bengal Biennale and Curator-Director of the Kolkata Literary Meet. Following the opening, there will be a fun panel discussion entitled “Comics beyond Panels,” with Vishwajyoti Ghosh, Debkumar Mitra, and Debanjanaya Nayek, speaking about how comics are fun stories, but also a serious medium of art, communication, and expression.
Throughout the month, the exhibition will feature talks, workshops, and guided walkthroughs for students and members of the public to help them understand the techniques, processes, and creativity behind comic-making. It will be a great opportunity for young art and literature enthusiasts interested in what storytelling can offer beyond text.
Birla Academy of Art & Culture has always supported artistic expressions of creativity, and onward with "The Craft of Comics." In a sense, the Academy is choosing one of the few art forms that is accessible to both children and adults, and an art that isn't necessarily superhero or humor based. Comics' stories can focus on society, humans and emotion, culture, or the mundane.
Through the exhibition, the Academy is inviting everyone to celebrate the beauty of drawing, writing, and imagination in concert. “The Craft of Comics” is not only an exhibition; it is a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and the power of visual art. This is a show that cannot be missed for those who love stories told in pictures.
