About
About
Somji Artist (K.A.Soman, b. 1953, Former Deputy Commissioner, Taxes, Govt. of Kerala,
Former Member Kerala Lalithakala Akademi
EDUCATION:
Did Schooling at Sainik School Kazhakoottam
Did Degree in Maharaja’s College Ernakulam and Law at Law College, Ernakulam.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Solo exhibition at Kerala LKA Art Gallery, Ernakulam - April/May 2008
Solo exhibition at Kerala LKA Art Gallery, Kozhikode - June 2008
Solo exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat Art Gallery,Bangalore-Oct 2008
Solo exhibition at Regional LKA Art Gallery,Chennai - April 2009
Solo exhibition at LKA Art Gallery Durbar Hall Art Centre, Ernakulam-Aug 2009
Solo exhibition at Kerala LKA Art Gallery, Thrissur- December 2009
Solo exhibition at Kerala LKA Art Gallery , Thiruvananthapuram - April2010
Solo exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai –Sept 2010.
Solo exhibition at Kala Academy Art Gallery, Panaji, Goa –Jan. 2011.
Solo exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat Art Gallery,Bangalore- Oct.2013
Solo exhibition @ Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery Thrissur - July 2016
Solo exhibition @ Durbar Hall Art Gallery Ernakulam - Dec.2017
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Anahata National Art Exhibition of Artists at Bangalore – 2015
International Art Exhibition at Thiruvananthapuram -2015
Several Group Exhibitions conducted by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.
Group Exhibition organized by Stallions International
Group Exhibition organized by Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.
MAJOR AWARDS/HONOURS
Kerala University Festival Prize for Painting
Kerala Students’ Union Prize for Painting
Stallions International Award
Kerala Lalithaka Akademi Award
ArtSlant Worldwide Award in Abstract Category
PARTICIPATIONS
State Annual Exhibitions conducted by Lalithakala Akademi since 1975
ARTISTS’ CAMPS
Artists’ camp at MNF Edappally 2013
Senior Artists’ camp at Mundoor Palakkad 2014
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born to teacher parents in 1953, K.A. Soman (Somji), a self taught painter has been in pursuit of art from his early childhood. Completed All India Higher Secondary at Sainik School, Kazhakoottam.He had his initial spell in pencil drawing, slowly transforming through Water Colour into Oil on Canvas when he reached college.
Initiating into Oil Painting in 1974, his craving for painting had its metamorphosis into a serious vocation, while in Maharaja's College, Ernakulam and then in Law College, Ernakulam. He had won prizes in Pencil Drawing and Water Painting while in School and College. Participated in Art Exhibitions at various levels - University, state and National, he has won several awards including International recognitions. A good number of his works of Art are in possession of several institutions/persons in India and abroad.
Masters like Picasso, Kandinsky and Pollock have been a great source of inspiration in his pursuit of creative art. Somji's 1st Solo Exhibition was dedicated to the profound memory of legendary Action Painter Jackson Pollock.
Soon after his studies he joined Govt. Service and continued his career as Deputy Commissioner till the year 2008.He had been into the world of creativity during his long tenure in Govt. Service, with participation in group exhibitions. He has also to his credit several successful Solo Exhibitions all over India ,one of the recent ones being at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai in Sept 2010 and followed by one at Kala Academy Art Gallery, Panaji, Goa in 2011.
MAJOR ART SERIES:
1. Nostalgia segment - a compilation of Somji’s earlier works of 70s & 80s
2. Summer Rains
3. Unscripted Dreams
4. Celebrity Syndrome
5. Extinction…and Beyond…
6. Our Concerns over Time and Space
7. Identity of Tolerance
PUBLICATIONS:
1)Artist Directory, Kerala.
2)Cyberbangalore Magazine selected Somji as Artist for the month Aug 2008.
3)Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia (K.A.Soman/ Artist Somji)
4)'INDIAN PAINTERS'
5) Indian National News Papers such as 'The Hindu', 'The New India Express', 'The Times of India',
'Deccan Herald', 'Navhind Times' and all Regional News papers.