Riyas Komu, born in 1971, Kerala. He completed his post-graduation in Art from Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai in 1999.
Riyas is a multimedia artist working with sculpture, paintings, video and installations.
He has exhibited his works extensively and some of his significant solo shows include *Out of Place*, Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore, 2019; *Holy Shiver*, Vadehra Art, New Delhi, 2018; *On International Works’ Day, Gandhi from Kochi*, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi & Kashi Art Gallery, Kochi, 2015; *Condition/Duroohatha*, Kashi Art Gallery, Kochi, 2015; *Subrato to César*, Gallery Maskara, Mumbai, 2010; *Safe to Light*, Azad Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2010, *Related List*, Bodhi Berlin, Germany, 2008; *Mark Him* (Second half), Gallery 88, Kolkata, 2008; *Mark Him*(First half) The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2007; *Systematic Citizen*, Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi, 2006; *Faith Accompli*, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, 2006; *The Third Day*, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, 2005; *Grass*, photography show, The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2005; *Sarasu*, photography show on Raja Ravi Verma's Malvalli Press, The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2003; *Unconditional*, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, 2002; *Ambulance*, Renaissance Art Gallery, Bangalore, 2002-2003.
He is the ideator of Kochi-Muziris Biennale and Co-Founder of Kochi Biennale Foundation in 2010 & was the Director of Programmes of the Kochi Biennale Foundation-2012, 2014, 2016. Riyas has Co-curated the first edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2012. He has also been the Advisor and Visual Arts Curator for Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa in 2016 & 2017 and has conceptualized and curated the *'Young Sub-Continent'* project since 2016, 2017 & 2018 for Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa. He has co-curated first International Football Film Festival in India at Goa International Film Festival and Trivandrum International Film Festival in 2012. He is Founder & Director of URU Art Harbour, a cultural hub in Mattancherry, Kochi, focussing on research on Local Culture and Maritime History.
Some of the selected group exhibitions include *Power of Site* curated by Lorena Guillen Vaschetti and Adam Jeppesen, Nirox Sculpture Park, Johannesburg, SA, 2019; *India Re-Worlded: Seventy Years of Investigating a Nation*, curated by Arshiya Lokhandwala, Gallery Odyssey, Mumbai, 2018; *The Great Game*, Iranian Pavilion, 56th Venice Biennale, 2015; *The Missing Pavilion*, by Gayatri Sinha for JNU, New Delhi, 2014; *Insportsration*, Project Fullfill Art Space, Taipei, 2013; *India – Lado A Lado*, India – Side by Side, for SESC Belenzinho and Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, curated by Terezo de Arruda, 2012; *Contemporary Indian Art*, curated by Chaitanya Sambrani for Art Chennai, 2012; *Inde*, Centre Pompidou, Paris, 2011; *Of Gods and Goddesses, Cinema, Cricket*, Jogja Biennale, Indonesia, 2011; *India Awakens – Under the Banyan Tree*, Essl Museum, Vienna, Austria, 2010; Gwangju Biennale, 2010; *Beyond Globalization*, Beyond Art Space, Beijing, China, 2010; *Indian Highway*, The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, 2009; *Indian Popular Culture and Beyond. The Untold (the Rise of) Schisms*, curated by Shaheen Merali, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain, 2009; *Threshold: Forging Narratives in South Asian Contemporary Art*, Aicon Gallery, New York, 2009; *India Crossing*, Studio la Città, Verona, Italy, 2008; *Everything*, Willem Baars Project, Amsterdam, 2008; *Think with the Senses – Feel with the Mind*, 52nd Venice Biennale, curated by Robert Storr, 2007; *Kashi ten light years*, Kashi Art Gallery, Kochi, 2007; Milan Museum show, curated by Daniella Polizolli, 2007; *Bronze*, sculpture show, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, 2006; *Art on the Beach, Made by Indians*, St. Tropez by Gallery Enrico Navarra, Paris, 2006;
*Span*, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, 2005; *Double Enders*, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Cochin, 2005; *World Social Forum*, Brazil, 2005; Group show during VASL Residency, Karachi, 2004; *Bombay Boys*, Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi, 2004; *Crossing Generations: Diverge, 40 years of Gallery Chemould*, National Gallery of Modern Art, 2003; *2D/3D*, Visual Art Center, Hong Kong, 2003; *Ways of Resisting 1992- 2002*, Sahmat/ Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, 2002; *Words and Images*, The Guild Art Gallery/ National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, 2002; Harmony Shows – 2004 to 1999; *Tribute to Picasso*, The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai. 2001; *The Human Factor*, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2001; *Memos of the New Millennium from Artists of the Moulting World*, curated by Abhay Sardesai, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Mumbai, 2000; *Exile Longings*, Lakeeren Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2000; Critic's Choice *Ideas and Images*, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, 1999; *Essays in time, kinetic sculptures*, Nehru Center, Mumbai, 1998.
Riyas lives & works in Mumbai.
