Riyas Komu

Born in 1971 in Kerala, Riyas Komu is a multidisciplinary artist, curator and cultural practitioner based in Mumbai. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Painting from the Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. His practice extends across painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation, often engaging with social and political histories, migration, displacement, conflict and questions of identity.

Komu’s works are informed by the political and cultural history of Kerala as well as wider global social movements. His figurative paintings, installations and mixed-media works frequently examine how individuals and communities negotiate memory, ideology, belonging and social change. His interest in football has also led to several significant bodies of work exploring the sport as a space for cultural and political narratives.

Komu has exhibited extensively in India and internationally. He was one of two Indian artists selected for the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007 and later represented the Iranian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015. His work has also been presented at institutions including the Centre Pompidou, Paris, and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Beyond his studio practice, Komu is the ideator and co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and has played an important role in developing platforms for art education and cultural exchange in India. He lives and works between Mumbai and Kerala.