Subodh Gupta was born in Khagaul, a small town in Bihar. His father, a railway guard, died in his early forties, when Gupta was 12 years old; his mother, who came from a farming family, sent Gupta to live with her brother for a few years in a remote village.
Gupta moved to Delhi after graduating, and struggled for several years. Early turning points in his career came from being exhibited at the Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale held at the Fukuoka Art Museum in 1999, and at the Gwangju Biennale in 2000. His association with Khoj Studios in Delhi, an organisation that promotes young artists and experimental work, begun in this period, also influenced his career. His work has been described as being in the tradition of the French surrealist Marcel Duchamp.
Gupta is primarily represented by two art galleries, Nature Morte, and Hauser & Wirth.
Gupta lives and works in Gurgaon, outside Delhi, with his wife and two children. He is married to Bharti Kher, also a prominent contemporary Indian artist.
Vikash Kalra is a self-taught artist and writer based in New Delhi whose work has been exhibited across India and is held in several private and corporate collections.