Through a new book, author Sudhanva Deshpande examines Orijit Sen’s unconventional journey
across art, design, and political expression
VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN
NT BUZZ
To place Orijit Sen within a single artistic discipline would be to overlook the breadth of his practice. Over nearly four decades, he has worked across graphic design, illustration, murals, graphic novels, and political satire, often moving between forms and challenging conventional boundaries. It is precisely this refusal to sit still within one category that author Sudhanva Deshpande captures in his new book ‘Imposter: The Playful Subversions of Orijit Sen’ which brings together nearly four decades of the
artist’s work.
The project first began to take shape in 2019 during a casual visit. Deshpande had travelled to Goa and stayed with Sen, where a simple conversation sparked a much larger ambition. Deshpande initially set out to write a modest introduction to Sen’s political satire, intending it to serve as a compact gateway into the artist’s work. As he began digging deeper into the archives, the scope quickly expanded.
As the project grew, so did the questions Deshpande wanted to explore. Rather than approaching it as a typical account of an artist’s career, he became interested in how Sen’s creative practice relates to his role as a citizen.
“What’s the role of the citizen in the world, in India, and how do you think one’s artistic practice reflects that? That is the larger question that came up,” says Deshpande.
The title of the book itself captures the light-hearted yet critical spirit that runs through Sen’s oeuvre. Deshpande chose ‘Imposter’ partly as wordplay, acknowledging Sen’s prolific work as a poster designer, and partly to describe his unique positioning within the
cultural landscape.
“I wanted a title that would sort of make you think and say that he’s a bit of an outsider,” says Deshpande. “In the world of design, he’s an artist; in the world of art, he’s a designer. As an artist, he is also engaged outside of the traditional art galleries and gallery settings. It occupies that inside-
outside position.”
Documenting such a varied career required sifting through decades of physical archives preserved by Sen’s family, alongside digital drives and physical prints. A key contributor to the book is Sen’s daughter, Pakhi, an artist in her own right, who created the cover illustration for the book.
As for Sen, seeing his life’s work bound between two covers brought a mix of gratitude and self-reflection. Confronting 40 years of work all at once naturally brought a touch of imposter syndrome, as he puts it, even if the title was intended differently.
“On the one hand, I feel very honoured that my work has been documented and written about by somebody like Sudhanva, who is a friend and someone who has achieved a lot across different fields,” says Sen. “On the other hand, doing this book gave me an opportunity to review my work. It helps me stay focused on the big picture and not lose sight of why I started.”
That bigger picture is rooted in what Deshpande calls “playful subversion”. Rather than taking a heavy-handed or solemn approach to political commentary, Sen’s work relies on humour, wit, and visual cheek to engage the public. Deshpande emphasises that this element of play is precisely what makes the art accessible
and enduring.
“His work is not dark in the usual sense. It subverts conventions in terms of imagery and content, but it also invites people to think without being alienating,” he says. “We wanted to make a book that is clear, accessible, and tells a story, so that even a young person reading it can see that there are different ways to live and
create anything.”
