Ayan Das
"Through darkness we perceive the true nature of light"
About the Artist
Self-portrait (Work in progress, 2023)
Ayan Das (b. 1990, Kolkata, India) is a contemporary artist specializing in dark, gore-inspired artworks that explore the psychological depths of human nature through a lens of trauma, mysticism, and existential dread.
His works blend elements of the occult, satanic imagery, visceral body horror, and Jungian archetypes to create unsettling yet beautiful compositions that challenge viewers' perceptions of morality and consciousness.
Educated at the Visva-Bharati University (BFA, 2012) and later at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (MFA, 2016), Das has developed a distinctive neo-expressionist style characterized by thick impasto, symbolic color palettes, and distorted anatomical forms.
Working primarily in oil, mixed media, and blood-infused pigments, Das's paintings have been exhibited internationally in 23 countries and are collected by prominent patrons of the macabre including the Museum of Death (Los Angeles), the Viktor Wynd Museum (London), and private collectors worldwide. His controversial 2021 series "Sacramentum" was banned in 3 countries for its unflinching exploration of religious trauma.
Gallery
"The Crimson Revelation" (2023)
"Ceremony of Shadows" (2022)
"Hymn to the Fallen" (2023)
"The Infernal Masquerade" (2021)
"Psalm of the Damned" (2022)
"Requiem for a Sinner" (2023)
Exhibitions
Sanguine Visions Current
Museum of Contemporary Dark Arts, Berlin
October 31 - December 13, 2023
Solo exhibition featuring 17 new works exploring themes of ritual bloodletting and sacred violence across religious traditions. Includes the controversial centerpiece "Ecstatic Devotion" (oil and menstrual blood on canvas, 200x300cm).
Sacrilegium
The Infernal Gallery, London
March 15 - May 1, 2023
Group exhibition with Damien Hirst and Andres Serrano. Das presented his "Blasphemy Triptych" which was vandalized during the opening night by religious protestors, later becoming his most sought-after series.
Nocturnal Rites
Black Cathedral Arts Collective, New York
August 7 - September 30, 2022
First US solo show featuring the complete "Satanic Panic" series (2020-2022), including never-before-seen preparatory sketches and ritual objects used in Das's creative process. The exhibition broke attendance records for the venue.
Visceral Scriptures
Gagosian Gallery, Paris
October 15 - November 28, 2021
Landmark exhibition that cemented Das's international reputation. Featured the "Codex Sanguinis" - a series of 13 illuminated manuscripts painted with human blood and gold leaf on vellum, each taking approximately 400 hours to complete.
Contact
Studio Inquiries
For commissions, exhibitions, or press requests