Anu Annam (they/flexi), through subjective intellectual interpretation and unconventional techniques, captures individual mental states, auras, and nuances of personalities in their portraiture, focusing on self-portraiture during times of introspection. They have become nationally and internationally renowned for their ability to capture the emotional essence of their subjects using their impressionistic to semi-abstract style.
Anu is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed exhibiting artist, art educator, arts administrator, and curator, working in the field for 25 years. They are faculty at numerous institutions and have won multiple teaching grants from the New York State Council on the Arts for their work with at-risk and special needs populations. Annam is the Founder and Executive Director of the arts-based organization, designed to fight stigma against mental illness, SEA of Visibility (SEA = Support Expression through the Arts), and the queer organization, BOPPI (Bisexual, Open, Pansexual, People of the Islands). These organizations provide robust arts programming, including events, performances, exhibitions, and education for marginalized people. Their Education and Mentorship program, Anu Annam Arts Education has served many members of the Long Island arts community since 2005, inclusive of students with special needs and typically developing, pre-K, K-12, college, and lifelong learners. Their organization’s education program, SEA of Visibility Integrated Arts Education, is currently contributing free, accessible, web-based programming to help the community connect and create during the lockdown and beyond, along with Suffolk County-funded, low-cost, in-person multidisciplinary arts education which supports the community while the world opens up.
Annam has curated one day to season-long exhibitions at the Queens Museum of Art (Multicultural Arts Fair, SWAN Day), the Islip Art Museum (Bowie-ween), the Cinema Arts Centre, Farmingdale State College (EMBRACE), was in-house curator for Campari <Art House> and is curated the kick-off exhibition for the 2021 Museum of Contemporary Arts of LI exhibition line-up with photographer Lex Barbberio’s exhibition I L L U M I N A T E D: a lens on gender. Their programs, exhibitions, and fundraisers have been featured in Newsday, Fios 1, Canvas Magazine, The Hindu, The Week Magazine, and many others.
Anu earned their BA from Tufts University and Boston Museum School in English Literature and Fine Arts and has exhibited their work in almost 20 solo shows. (full CV attached) Select solo exhibitions include Le Salon d’ Art, New York, NY; Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, India, The New York Open Center, New York, NY, Baruch Performing Arts Center with Chitravina Ravikiran, New York, NY; and a mini-Solo Exhibit at the Islip Art Museum in NY. Annam is on the Advisory Committee of the Patchogue Arts Council/MOCA of LI where they recommend artist and venue matches for their programs amongst other advisory duties.
Anu greatly seeks to aid in the cultural integration of the disabled community, advocating for the inclusivity of physically challenged and neurodiverse people of any race/culture/religion, level of education, class, history of trauma/abuse, gender, and sexual orientation in their daily work. They believe that with kindness, strong social, community, and arts programs, and elimination of discrimination, individuals can be nurtured to thrive as Annam has, through multiple marginalized experiences to lead a meaningful life.
