Anupama Alias Anil focuses on depicting women at a transitional and vulnerable time in their lives: not the adolescent years that have been the focus of her works in the past few years, but the other transitional, in-between years: the ‘middle’ years. In a macro-metaphor, her work focuses on people, transitions, identity, and the ‘in-betweenness’ of existence. Anupama tries to unravel the implied desires and fluctuations of identity that womanhood has thrust upon her. The idea is to not just focus on the universality of womanhood but get to the essence of being a girl first, and a woman later. The intriguing reason behind how Eve was made from Adam’s rib became the genesis of her work, whereby she began exploring human anatomy. The rib cage becomes the spine of Anupama’s works, which has allowed her to examine other body parts, something that helped her embark on a metaphysical journey of self-discovery.

She completed her BFA and MFA in Applied Art from Govt. RLV College, Thripunithura, Kochi, in 2011 and 2014, respectively. She also completed an MFA in Painting from S N School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad (2016). Anupama was part of the Rizq Art Initiative Residency program in Abu Dhabi (2024); recipient of the ‘Art For Hope’ Grant by Hyundai Motor India Foundation (2021); the Sankara Menon Memorial Gold Medal, Lalithakala Akademi, Kerala (2016); the Special Mention Award by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi (2018); a Diamond Jubilee Fellowship from the Department of Cultural Affairs, Kerala (2019); and the Young Artist’s Scholarship, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India (2012).