Sumi Perera FSDC

Sumi Perera is an interdisciplinary artist, academic/educator & curator who often makes interactive print installations that use the ‘bookform’.

She was invited as the Keynote Speaker at PAGES an International Contemporary Bookarts Event in Leeds last year. Here Prof Chris Taylor discusses her practice: CRAFT in CONFLICT the catalogue:

https://www.axlearts.com/downloads/press/PAGES_2019_-_Craft_in_Conflict_Sumi_Perera_by_Prof_Chris_Taylor.pdf

This year she has been invited by the Printmakers Council as the Keynote Speaker for the Symposium: Relaxing the Line-Innovations in Contemporary Printmaking at the Royal Overseas League in London in 2020.

Qualifications: MA Camberwell College, London 2004; MPhil & MSc London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine 1993 & 1996; MBBS Colombo Medical Faculty, Sri Lanka 1984.

She has taught most of her life as a doctor & scientist at universities; and ART at Middlesex University, London & the Royal Academy, London & freelance masterclasses.

Perera has held many international residencies: a Teaching Residency at Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing China 2007; was the recipient of the first Guest Artist Fellowship, 6 week residency & solo show at Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice 2017, a Stone Lithography residency at Pierre Presse, France 2017; The National Open Art Competition Residency, London 2016; Yinchuan International Artist Residency China 2019.

Her work has been awarded many Prizes/Awards: Prix de Print, Art in Print USA 2015, Gold Medal-Seoul 1st International Artistbook Competition 2005; 1st Prize-SHELTER 2008, USA; Flourish Award 2015-excellence in printmaking & solo show; Overall Best in show-DRAW 2016; Best Print in Show-DRAW 2018 etc.

She has work held in several Public & Private Collections: Tate(10works); Victoria & Albert Museum(12works); Yale Centre of British Art(2); Ashmolean(2); British Museum; Royal Collection, British Library, UK. etc.

She has an extensive International Exhibitions portfolio: shown in many International Biennials & Print Prizes in the USA, Australia, New Zealand & Europe. She has shown at the Summer Exhibition a few times, & annually at the London Original Print Fair-at the Royal Academy London.2009-2019.

More: https://www.saatchiart.com/sumiperera

https://www.instagram.com/sumi_perera/

Sumi Perera RE FSDC SGFA [SuperPress EDITIONS] http://www.saatchionline.com/sumiperera

Name: Sumi (Sunimali Marini) Perera

Nationality: Dual: British & Sri Lankan

Qualifications

MA 2004 Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts, London

MPhil 1996 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London

MSc 1994 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London

MBBS 1983 Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Prizes/Awards/Residencies

• Great Art UK Prize-Best Print at DRAW 18. Society of Graphic Fine Artists. Menier Gallery, London 2018

• Guest Artist Full Fellowship. Residency & Solo Show. Scuola Internazionale Di Grafica, Venice 2016/17

• Stone Lithography Residency & Saxa Loquuntur Exhibition. Pierre Presse, Marcilhac, France. May 2017

• Art Gemini Prize. Shortlisted finalist. Asia House Gallery. London 2017

• John Ruskin Prize 2017. Shortlisted finalist. Millennium Gallery. Sheffield 2017-18

• On Paper Contest-shortlisted finalist. Spike Print Studio, Bristol. 2018

• The Sidney Nolan Residency 2017. In Sydney Australia & Exhibition at the Rhodd. Shortlisted finalist.

• Manly Library Artist Book Award. Waringah Art Space, NSW Australia. [Acquired & Touring Exhibition ’17]

• Overall Best in Show Prize-Strathmore Fine Artist Paper Bursary. Draw 16. Menier Gallery. 2016

• Artist in Residence. National Open Art Competition. Mercers’ Hall. London 2016

• St Cuthberts’ Mill Prize. RBSA Print Prize 2016 - Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery.

• Prix de Print Award. Art in Print, USA [awarded by K Alcauskas, Curator MoMA New York] July 2015

• Incline Press-Dave Godin Award at Society of Bookbinders International Conference 2015

• Flourish Award-Printmaker of the Year 2015. Solo show Huddersfield Art Gallery (off-site venue for the ICA London) & Residency at West Yorkshire Print Workshop 2016/17

• The Laurence King Publishers Prize-The ELP Annual Exhibition. Embassy Tea Gallery, London 2015

• The Arqadia & Intaglio Print Award at DRAW 14. Menier Gallery, London 2014

• The St. Cuthbert’s Mill Award at DRAW 12. Menier Gallery, London 2012

• The Intaglio Prize-Printathon-14th ELP Annual Exhibition. Smokehouse, London 2012

• 1st Prize-Drawing for Design. Rootstein Hopkins Foundation Drawing Exhibition. London 2011

• Distinction-European International Book Art Biennale 2010, Art Museum Satu-Mare, Romania 2010

• Best Overall Book Design Prize (NPB) & the Aidan Portnall Award (1st Prize-Complete Book) - Society of Bookbinders International Competition & Conference, Warwick University. Aug 2009

• Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artist Book Award. NSW, Australia August 2009

• Melville Charitable Trust Award (1st prize) at SHELTER, a juried artist book exhibition touring the USA. 2008-2009

• Teaching Residency-at Central Academy of Fine Art [CAFA], Beijing. China 2007

• Birgit Skiold Award for excellence in Book Arts, London Artist Bookfair (LAB) ‘05, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) London. 2005

• Grand Prize-1st International Book Arts Competition, Seoul, South Korea. 2005

• Kaleidoscope Hoffmann Challenge Prize, National Quilt Championships, Ascot. 2001

Work Held in Public Collections

• Tate Britain (10 works: 2003-2017)

• Victoria & Albert Museum (12 works: 2010-2017)

• Yale Centre for British Art, USA (2 works)

• Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford (2 works)

• Manly Library-Manly Artits Book Award, North Curl, NSW Australia (1 works).

• Scuola Internazoinale di Grafica, Venice, Italy. (3 works)

• Yinchuan Print Collection, Yinchuan, China. (12 works)

• Pierre Presse Atelier. Marcilhac, France. (5 works)

• British Library. London UK

• British Museum, London

• The Royal Collection of HRH Queen Elizabeth II

• Guanlan Museum, China

• Grafisk vaerksted-Naestved, Denmark

• Sakima Art Museum, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

• Iraq National Library, Baghdad.

• National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, R.O.C.

• Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Permanent Art Collection. Alexandria, Egypt

• Southern Cross University Artist Book Collection, NSW, Australia

• Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

• PrintROOM – Rotterdam

• Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts, London

• Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collection

• CFPR (Centre for Fine Print Research) Collection, University of West England, Bristol. UK

• Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Kansas, USA

• Centre for Artist Books, Visual Research Centre, DCA, Dundee

• ULUS Print Triennial Collection, Belgrade, Serbia

• DFEWA Collection, Satu Mare, Romania

• John Purcell Print Collection, London, UK

• Bank Street Arts, Sheffield

• Scarborough Museum Print Archive

• Leeds College of Art Library Collection

• Lafayette College Library, Artist Book Collection USA

• Columbia University Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. USA

• Savannah College of Art & Design, USA

• Cremona Civic Museum, Italy

Work Experience

Hourly Academic [2016-]

MA Printmaking Course (Art & Design Visual Arts Department) Middlesex University, London

Freelance Artist & Tutor [1990-to date]

SuperPress Editions, High View, 22A Fenton Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4BN.

Teaching Residency 2007

Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China

Medical Administrator [1997-to date]

Medico-Legal Practice, High View, 22A Fenton Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4BN.

Research Associate [1994 -1997]

Immunology Unit, Dept of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London.

Senior House Officer [1985 – 1988]

Psychiatry Unit, University Hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

House Surgeon [1984 – 1985]

Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Castle Street University Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

House Physician [1984 – 1984]

Paediatrics Professorial Unit, Lady Ridgeway University Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Commissions

Link Media Systems 51-52 St Johns Street, London EC1V 4JL:

-Urban Decay -Flora -LMS Triptych

Curated Shows

15 to 1. An exhibition of artist books by Chinese Artists from CAFA (Central Academy of Fine Arts), Beijing. (Curated by Sumi Perera during a teaching appointment at CAFA 2007). Toured 12 Venues:

PHOTOGRAPHICS – Curated show for the Printmakers Council. Invited Artists: Anne Desmet RA RE RWS, Lidija Antanasijevic & Rachel Owen. Great Western Studios London. 21st-26th March 2013

SUMI PERERA et al. [SuperPress EDITIONS] – A 10 year retrospective of several collaborative projects:

-Library, Centre for Fine Print Research-University of West England, Bristol, UK. 1st Sept-30th Oct 2016

http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/... 10 International Printmaking Conference. Collaborative Artist Book Exhibition. Cantabrian Central Library, Santander, Spain. 1st - 9th September 2018

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – PAGES, The 22nd International Contemporary Artist Book Fair. The Tetley Leeds. 2nd March 2019

SPEAKER – MULTI MATRIX A Printmaking Symposium. MAC Belfast. Belfast Print Workshop in partnership with University of Ulster & Seacourt Print Workshop. 13th March 2020

Masterclass Hybrid Printmaking 14-15th March

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Printmakers’ Symposium: RELAXING THE LINE-THE UNCONVENTIONAL In Contemporary Printmaking. Royal Over-Seas League, London 17th September 2020

RADIO INTERVIEW on Resonance FM:

https://www.mixcloud.com/Reson...

Online Artciles (Selected):

Review in the Austin Chronicle Print Austin 2020 USA. A Contemporary Survey of International Print https://www.austinchronicle.co...

PAGES: The International Artist Book Event-Invited Keynote Speaker. Catalogue Article by Professor Chris Taylor

https://www.axlearts.com/downl...

Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers & the Royal Society of Watercolours Newsletter Autumn ‘17

https://www.axlearts.com/downl... de Print Award Winner-Art in Print [Global Print Journal] 2015

http://artinprint.org/prix/no-...

Printmaking Today-Print Journal UK 2015

PmC" class="redactor-autoparser-object">https://www.axlearts.com/downl... 50th Anniversary Book 2015

https://www.axlearts.com/downl... On Paper, Barbican 2015

https://www.axlearts.com/downloads/press/WHY_WORKS_ON_PAPER-Sumi_Perera.pdf

Printmakers’ Council-Featured Artist

http://printmakerscouncil.com/...

TextileArtist.org-The Importance of Process

http://www.textileartist.org/a... Footprint-Fine Art Through Generations 2017:

http://www.allaboutshipping.co...

Review-London Group Open Exhibition 2017:

http://www.allaboutshipping.co... Print Studio, UK-Featured Artist: PLAY

http://www.londonprintstudio.o... Chronicle-Featured Artist at Bath Contemporary Arts

Impact" class="redactor-autoparser-object">https://www.axlearts.com/downl... 8-International Conference on Printmaking.

http://www.conf.dundee.ac.uk/i... Booking New York

http://centralbookingnyc.com/g...

Newsletter National Open Art 2016-Artist in Residence at Mercers’ Hall, London:

http://www.nationalopenart.org... (no longer valid-updated for 2017)