Born in Burdwan, West Bengal ,Sumana Som completed her bachelors from College of Art & Design, University of Burdwan (2011), West Bengal and Masters from University of Hyderabad, Telangana (2013). She completed her Ph.D as a partner research fellow in Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, (IITH) Department. of Design, Telangana and Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, Australia (2022). She started her work in the creative field as a painter and slowly integrated her work with multiple mediums. Currently, she is working with 3D software and interactive devices.

She has received the Inlaks Fine Arts Award (2013), Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grants (2016), 55th National award, New Delhi (2014), and the Junior Research Fellowship at UGC Swinburne Postgraduate Research Award (SUPRA) (2018-19. She (2018–19) received a certificate of research excellence from IIT Hyderabad (2022). Some of her group shows are Allegories of Threads, Dhi Artspace, Hyderabad (2021), Allegories of Voices: Contemporary Drawing as Thought, Hyderabad Literally Festival 2021, Hyderabad (2021 ), On Art Fair by MOJARTO (2020), ‘Mapping Territories’, Dhi Artspace, Hyderabad (2018). Shridharani Art Gallery and Anant Art, New Delhi (2017); INKO Centre, Chennai (2017). Emerging Canvas – IV, Indian Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea(2016)

Sumana Som lives and works in Hyderabad.

In continuation to her previous practice of map-making, exploring the visual aesthetics of cartography and looking up to Indian miniature paintings to understand the spatial relations, 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗺 has developed her recent series of works on fabric that primarily deals with spatial encounter and layered emotions that it entails. The ongoing Covid situation has instigated her to think about space from new perspectives. While talking about space, Sumana addresses the related factors like distance, boundaries, ownership, encroachment and power structure. 

Three works in the exhibition, Piece of Land, Neighbours and Landlord, represent the spaces shared by humans, animals, vegetals and objects and the anxiety the occupants feel in the process of co-existence.