Viraag  Desai is a young artist who graduated with a B.F.A. from the School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 2009. He is inspired by the Tibetan ‘thankas’ and the ‘pata’ paintings of old Bengal, studying the techniques of old masters and combining them with his iconography and modern themes. Over the years, his works have gravitated towards an abstract expressionism and surrealism that eludes conventional notions of form. Desai has been a part of many exhibitions in U.S.A. and India, and was a part of the residency at the Neilson Gallery, Spain in 2013. Working part-time as a graphic and set designer in Kolkata, Viraag uses his experiences from these disciplines to constantly inform and develop his painting practice.