Riyas Komu born in Kerala is a critically acclaimed multimedia artist and curator based in Mumbai. He has invested his time in art education and developing art infrastructure in India. Komu's works are inspired by social conflicts and political movements and topics like migration and displacement. His hyper-realistic oil portraits of people resemble socialist-realist propaganda art and indeed one of his portraits is strikingly titled “Why Everybody should Look Like Mao”. In 2007, Komu was one of two artists from India selected for the 52nd Venice Biennale by curator Robert Storr. Later, he went on to represent the Iranian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2015. Komu also participated in the Jogja Biennale, Indonesia, 2011. Riyas born in 1971 in a small town in Thrissur District of Kerala. He lives and works in Mumbai.