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Artist Raj Chowdhury 's deeply personal debut solo exhibition, Where Do I Pause ?, is now on at Kolkata's new art and culture space, Trace Gallery , until September 16. A preview of the exhibition was held on July 19.
The show offers an intimate glimpse into the Raj's inner world, drawing from one of the most difficult phases of his life. Inspired by his time in an intensive care unit (ICU), the exhibition reflects on the emotional tension between fear and hope, memory and oblivion, and chaos and clarity. The title, Where Do I Pause?, speaks to embracing uncertainty and finding meaning in moments that remain unresolved.


Each artwork is built from fragments of his experiences – fleeting memories, emotions, thoughts and images that emerge before dissolving again. The paintings weave together influences ranging from current events and philosophy to human behaviour, nature, animals and still life, creating layered compositions that constantly shift between meaning and ambiguity through a contemporary neo-pop visual language.
Born in Khanyan, West Bengal, in 1983, Raj is a self-taught artist whose practice has evolved from realism to surrealism, abstract realism and, more recently, a distinctive style combining Romanticism with pastel palettes, handwritten text and figurative imagery inspired by contemporary media. His work has previously been exhibited at venues across India and internationally, including Bogotá, Mumbai and Kolkata.


The exhibition also marked the opening of Trace Gallery, a new multidisciplinary space for visual art, design and music founded by Anissa Sonthalia. Located on Southern Avenue, the 1,500 sq ft gallery occupies the ground floor of the 80-year-old Somnath Hall and has been designed as a platform for emerging artists from Bengal alongside programmes spanning exhibitions, workshops, residencies and public engagement.
Speaking about the vision behind the gallery, Anissa said, "The space was born from a desire to grow Kolkata's gallery landscape and bring art into the fabric of everyday life. Our mission is to make art approachable, to encourage young collectors and build a wider awareness that art doesn't need to be complicated to understand or source."
The exhibition will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday between 11.30am and 7.30pm.