Photography Painting Fiber Sculpture Installation
Uma Rani Iyli
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ARTIST STATEMENT
While time-based meditative processes such as wrapping and repetitive mark making inform my paintings, fiber work, installations and photographs, conceptually it is the idea of connective threads that ties them all together. Merging up-cycled daily objects with ancient practices, each resulting series acts as an avenue for dialogue between culture and time. My meditative process employs practices tied to my female identity of my Indian background and childhood memories. Through various media, I intentionally integrate the vibrant colors inspired by traditional Saris into my artwork considering notions of women’s work and its link to the hand. Each line that crosses another echoes the tradition of weaving and storytelling from my heritage. It is my hope that my work contributes a positive and hopeful energy to our contemporary art landscape instilling a sense of playfulness and curiosity through color, material and thoughtful constructions. |
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Bangalore, India in 1974, Uma Rani Iyli’s studio practice has been based in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1996. She received her foundation art education at the College of Fine Arts, Bangalore. At the age of twenty-one, she moved to the United States and continued her studies at California College of Arts graduating in 2003 with a BFA in Sculpture. Over the past few years, Uma’s career has launched with various nationwide exhibitions including the New York Chelsea based JanKossens Gallery and Marin Museum of Contemporary Art. In 2018, Uma’s work was featured by the Zellerbach Foundation, highlighted with an interview in Under The Radar contemporary artists by ArtSlant, and launched for the first time at Miami Scope Art Fair. In 2019, her work was recognized with a nomination for the TOSA Award by Minnesota Street Project, the SECA award by the SFMOMA, and featured in the exhibition “Woven Stories” at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History. In 2020, her work was included in The de Young Open Exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. In 2021, Uma completed her largest corporate permanent installation commissioned by the Meta Open Arts Program for their Fremont, California location. That fall, her fiber work was also recognized with Juror's Choice Awards by Kelsey Marie Issel, Arts Program Consultant & Co-founder of She Bends, and Justin Hoover, The Executive Director of Chinese Historical Society of America, through ArtSpan's 2021 Open Studios Exhibition at SOMArts in San Francisco.
Uma maintains two studios in the San Francisco Bay Area, one in San Francisco at Dogpatch Collective and another in her home studio in Portola Valley.
Born in Bangalore, India in 1974, Uma Rani Iyli’s studio practice has been based in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1996. She received her foundation art education at the College of Fine Arts, Bangalore. At the age of twenty-one, she moved to the United States and continued her studies at California College of Arts graduating in 2003 with a BFA in Sculpture. Over the past few years, Uma’s career has launched with various nationwide exhibitions including the New York Chelsea based JanKossens Gallery and Marin Museum of Contemporary Art. In 2018, Uma’s work was featured by the Zellerbach Foundation, highlighted with an interview in Under The Radar contemporary artists by ArtSlant, and launched for the first time at Miami Scope Art Fair. In 2019, her work was recognized with a nomination for the TOSA Award by Minnesota Street Project, the SECA award by the SFMOMA, and featured in the exhibition “Woven Stories” at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History. In 2020, her work was included in The de Young Open Exhibition at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. In 2021, Uma completed her largest corporate permanent installation commissioned by the Meta Open Arts Program for their Fremont, California location. That fall, her fiber work was also recognized with Juror's Choice Awards by Kelsey Marie Issel, Arts Program Consultant & Co-founder of She Bends, and Justin Hoover, The Executive Director of Chinese Historical Society of America, through ArtSpan's 2021 Open Studios Exhibition at SOMArts in San Francisco.
Uma maintains two studios in the San Francisco Bay Area, one in San Francisco at Dogpatch Collective and another in her home studio in Portola Valley.
INSTAGRAM
https://www.instagram.com/uma_rani_iyli/
https://www.instagram.com/uma_rani_iyli/
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/umaraniiyli
https://www.facebook.com/umaraniiyli
RESUME
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelors of Fine Arts from the California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
1999 Associate Art Degree from Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
1998 Certificate in Digital Arts, Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
1995 Foundation Art Education at the College of Fine Arts, Bangalore, India
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Left Coast Annual Award Exhibition, Pcifica, CA
2022 Connective Threads, Kriewall-Haehl Gallery, Portola Valley, CA
2018 Painting, Photography and Fiber Art Exhibition, Zellerbach Family Foundation, San Francisco, CA
2018 “Contemporary Relics: Abstractions by Uma Rani Iyli”, The Mill, San Francisco, CA 2003 “Rice Lore”, Irwin Center Gallery, California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
2002 “Sacred Space”, A21 Exhibition Space, California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
AWARDS
2023 Juror's Choice award, Michael Arcega, Associate Professor of Arts at San Francisco State University
2023 Juror's Choice Exhibition Award, Renee Cyla Villasenor, Programs Manager & Curotorial Associate at ICA SF
2021 Juror's Choice award, Kelsey Marie Issel, Arts Program Consultant & Co-founder of She Bends
2021 Juror's Choice award, Justin Hoover, Executive Director of Chinese Historical Society of America
2018 Nominee for SECA 2019
2018 Nominee for TOSA
2016 ArtSlant Juried winner in ArtSlant 3rd 2016 ArtSlant Price Showcase competition.
2016/2015 ArtSpan Artist-in-Residence, Journal Building, San Francisco, CA
2015 ArtSlant Showcase Winner in Round #4 of 2015 Showcase Competition cycle.
2014 Juror's Choice award: Christa Oropeza, co-founder of Incline Galley, SF ArtSpan Open Studios Exhibition, SOMArts Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 WCA Best of 2014 Exhibition, National Juried show juried by WCA presidents: Janice Nesser-Chu, Priscilla Otani, and Brenda Oelbaum, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
2010 Blue Planet: An Eco-Art Exhibit, National Juried Group Exhibition: Women's Caucus for the Art, Juror Artist Kim Abeles, SOMArts Bay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2001 Mono print Honors Award, Cultural Arts Commission, City of South San Francisco, CA
MUSEUM AQUISSIONS
2024 Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco I The de Young/Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
2023 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2020 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2019 Woven Stories, Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH), Lancaster, CA
2018 Memory and Perception, Marin MOCA, Winter National Juried Exhibition, Novato, CA
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Open Studios, Keystone Art Space, Down Town Los Angeles.- November 2nd (4-9pm)
2024 All Media 2024, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA
2024 Considering January, Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2024 48 Pillars, ARC Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2023 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2023 Heritage Threads, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2023 The 36th Parallel, Track 16 Gallery, Down Town Los Angeles, CA
2023 Left Coast Annual Juried Exhibition, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA
2023 Frayed Stories of Life, Arc Studios and Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2022 Resilience | A Visual Protest, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2022 Women Rising, Drawing Room SF, San Francisco, CA
2022 More Than Everything, A Startup Curatorial Pop-up Exhibition, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2021 Curated Group Exhibition of Berkeley Art Center Artists by ArtSource Inc., The Mills Building, San Francisco, CA
2021 Silk Brocades Installation 1, Meta Open Arts, SF Bay Area, CA
2021 Uplift/Heavy Lift, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA
2021 Pattern and Symmetry, San Francisco Women Artists- SFWA, San Francisco, CA
2020 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2020 Women Rising, Drawing Room SF, San Francisco, CA
2019 Into the Blue, 9th Annual Juried Exhibition, Village Theatre Art Gallery, Danville, CA
2019 The Long Goodbye, Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibition, Spark Arts, San Francisco, CA
2018 SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL
2018 Where You Stop, Where I Begin, Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibition, Avenue, San Francisco
2017 Annual Artists Exhibition, Berkeley Art Center, Berkley, CA
2017 Summer of Love- group Installation Exhibition, Incline Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 Abstractions of the Ordinary, ArtePonte New York - JanKossens Gallery, Chelsea, NY
2017 All In: ArtSpan Studio Residency Group Exhibition, Hotel Triton, San Francisco, CA (Feb.8th to March 28th.)
2016 Wallpaper: Mirrored Identities at Midway Gallery, November 2016. San Francisco, CA
2016 Vision: An Artist's Perspective, Kaleid Gallery, San Jose. Online Gallery and Catalog presented by Gutfreund Cornett Art and UniteWomen.org
2016 Convergence: Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibit. 1295 Alabama St, San Francisco, CA
2016 Trending: Contemporary Art Now!, Juror: Elizabeth Garvey, co-founder and owner of Garvey Simon Art Access, Online Gallery and Catalog for the Women’s Caucus for Art exhibition
2016/2015 5th Anniversary Exhibit, Incline Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2015 Resolution, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2015 Exposed- A Photography Exhibit, Juror: Danny Sanchez, gallery manager at Themes + Projects, San Francisco Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2015 Abstract Catylyst, Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
2015 Splendor, RAW, Ruby Skye, San Francisco, CA
2014 ArtSpan’s 12x12 Super Hub Group Show, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 WCA Best of 2014 Exhibition, National Juried show juried by WCA presidents: Janice Nesser-Chu, Priscilla Otani, and Brenda Oelbaum, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
2013 Elements of Expression Exhibition, Art 29 Space, Chelsea, NY
2013 Painting/Monoprint, Saratoga Library, Saratoga, CA
2011 Painting/Monoprint, SF Convention and Visitors Bureau, San Francisco, CA
2010 Blue Planet: An Eco-Art Exhibit, National Juried Group Exhibition: Women's Caucus for the Art, Juror Artist Kim Abeles, SOMArts Bay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2010 Painting and Wall Installation, Menlo Park Library, Menlo Park, CA
2009 Painting and Wall Installation, Shelldance Orchid Gallery, Pacifica, CA
2009 Monoprint, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2007 Graphic Design Exhibit, Micheal P. Vergas Gallery, Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
2001 Monoprint and Sculptures, Olive Hyde Art Gallery, Fremont, CA
PRESS/PUBLICATIONS
2019 The ArtSlant Team, “Uma Iyli Answers 5 Questions”, San Francisco: ArtSlant, February 11, 2019.
2018 Davis, Genie, “The StART Up Art Fair 2018”, Los Angeles: Art and Cake Magazine, February 2, 2018.
2017 Mak, Alex, “Artists You Should Know Interview”, San Francisco: Broke-Ass Stuart, April 13, 2017.
2016 Catalog for Women’s Caucus for Art exhibition Trending: Contemporary Art Now!. Juror: Elizabeth Garvey, co-founder and owner of Garvey Simon Art Access.
2016 Gutfreund Cornett Art and UniteWomen.org, “Vision: An Artist's Perspective”, Exhibition Catalog for "VISION", June 5, 2016.
2016 Palmer, Tom & Kim, Aileen, “American Art Collector 2016”, Berkeley: Alcove Books, Sept 2016.
2015 Cui, Candice, “ARTISTS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS AT OPEN STUDIOS WKND 2”, San Francisco: Broke Ass Stuart, October 23, 2015.
2015 Etundi, William, “The Exposure Award: Art Photography Collection”, Paris: See/Me, July 13, 2015.
2015 ArtSpan, Persistence: ArtSpan's 2015 SF Open Studios Guide Book. New Asterisk Press: San Francisco, Weekend 2: page 9 & 63.
2015 Palmer, Tom & Kim, Aileen, “American Art Collector 2015”, Berkeley: Alcove Books, Sept 2015
2010 Gutfreund, Karen, “Create Revision Recreate: Blue Planet Catalog”. San Francisco: Pacific Region Women’s Caucaus for Art, June 2010, 2014 Rogers, Amanda N., “WCAs Best of 2014”, Feb 2014: Amanda N. Rogers Blog.
2014 “WCA Best of 2014 Calendar July 2014-December 2015”, San Francisco: Pacific Region Women’s Caucaus for Art.
2010 Adrian, Amber, “A Guide to Open Studios”, San Francisco: 7x7, Oct 7, 2010.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelors of Fine Arts from the California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
1999 Associate Art Degree from Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
1998 Certificate in Digital Arts, Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
1995 Foundation Art Education at the College of Fine Arts, Bangalore, India
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Left Coast Annual Award Exhibition, Pcifica, CA
2022 Connective Threads, Kriewall-Haehl Gallery, Portola Valley, CA
2018 Painting, Photography and Fiber Art Exhibition, Zellerbach Family Foundation, San Francisco, CA
2018 “Contemporary Relics: Abstractions by Uma Rani Iyli”, The Mill, San Francisco, CA 2003 “Rice Lore”, Irwin Center Gallery, California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
2002 “Sacred Space”, A21 Exhibition Space, California College of Arts, Oakland, CA
AWARDS
2023 Juror's Choice award, Michael Arcega, Associate Professor of Arts at San Francisco State University
2023 Juror's Choice Exhibition Award, Renee Cyla Villasenor, Programs Manager & Curotorial Associate at ICA SF
2021 Juror's Choice award, Kelsey Marie Issel, Arts Program Consultant & Co-founder of She Bends
2021 Juror's Choice award, Justin Hoover, Executive Director of Chinese Historical Society of America
2018 Nominee for SECA 2019
2018 Nominee for TOSA
2016 ArtSlant Juried winner in ArtSlant 3rd 2016 ArtSlant Price Showcase competition.
2016/2015 ArtSpan Artist-in-Residence, Journal Building, San Francisco, CA
2015 ArtSlant Showcase Winner in Round #4 of 2015 Showcase Competition cycle.
2014 Juror's Choice award: Christa Oropeza, co-founder of Incline Galley, SF ArtSpan Open Studios Exhibition, SOMArts Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 WCA Best of 2014 Exhibition, National Juried show juried by WCA presidents: Janice Nesser-Chu, Priscilla Otani, and Brenda Oelbaum, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
2010 Blue Planet: An Eco-Art Exhibit, National Juried Group Exhibition: Women's Caucus for the Art, Juror Artist Kim Abeles, SOMArts Bay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2001 Mono print Honors Award, Cultural Arts Commission, City of South San Francisco, CA
MUSEUM AQUISSIONS
2024 Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco I The de Young/Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
2023 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2020 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2019 Woven Stories, Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH), Lancaster, CA
2018 Memory and Perception, Marin MOCA, Winter National Juried Exhibition, Novato, CA
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Open Studios, Keystone Art Space, Down Town Los Angeles.- November 2nd (4-9pm)
2024 All Media 2024, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA
2024 Considering January, Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2024 48 Pillars, ARC Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2023 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2023 Heritage Threads, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2023 The 36th Parallel, Track 16 Gallery, Down Town Los Angeles, CA
2023 Left Coast Annual Juried Exhibition, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, CA
2023 Frayed Stories of Life, Arc Studios and Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2022 Resilience | A Visual Protest, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2022 Women Rising, Drawing Room SF, San Francisco, CA
2022 More Than Everything, A Startup Curatorial Pop-up Exhibition, Upstart Modern, Sausalito, CA
2021 Curated Group Exhibition of Berkeley Art Center Artists by ArtSource Inc., The Mills Building, San Francisco, CA
2021 Silk Brocades Installation 1, Meta Open Arts, SF Bay Area, CA
2021 Uplift/Heavy Lift, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA
2021 Pattern and Symmetry, San Francisco Women Artists- SFWA, San Francisco, CA
2020 the de Young Open, de young Museum, San Francisco, CA
2020 Women Rising, Drawing Room SF, San Francisco, CA
2019 Into the Blue, 9th Annual Juried Exhibition, Village Theatre Art Gallery, Danville, CA
2019 The Long Goodbye, Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibition, Spark Arts, San Francisco, CA
2018 SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL
2018 Where You Stop, Where I Begin, Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibition, Avenue, San Francisco
2017 Annual Artists Exhibition, Berkeley Art Center, Berkley, CA
2017 Summer of Love- group Installation Exhibition, Incline Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 Abstractions of the Ordinary, ArtePonte New York - JanKossens Gallery, Chelsea, NY
2017 All In: ArtSpan Studio Residency Group Exhibition, Hotel Triton, San Francisco, CA (Feb.8th to March 28th.)
2016 Wallpaper: Mirrored Identities at Midway Gallery, November 2016. San Francisco, CA
2016 Vision: An Artist's Perspective, Kaleid Gallery, San Jose. Online Gallery and Catalog presented by Gutfreund Cornett Art and UniteWomen.org
2016 Convergence: Journal Building Artists Residency Group Exhibit. 1295 Alabama St, San Francisco, CA
2016 Trending: Contemporary Art Now!, Juror: Elizabeth Garvey, co-founder and owner of Garvey Simon Art Access, Online Gallery and Catalog for the Women’s Caucus for Art exhibition
2016/2015 5th Anniversary Exhibit, Incline Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2015 Resolution, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2015 Exposed- A Photography Exhibit, Juror: Danny Sanchez, gallery manager at Themes + Projects, San Francisco Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2015 Abstract Catylyst, Verum Ultimum Art Gallery, Portland, OR
2015 Splendor, RAW, Ruby Skye, San Francisco, CA
2014 ArtSpan’s 12x12 Super Hub Group Show, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2014 WCA Best of 2014 Exhibition, National Juried show juried by WCA presidents: Janice Nesser-Chu, Priscilla Otani, and Brenda Oelbaum, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
2013 Elements of Expression Exhibition, Art 29 Space, Chelsea, NY
2013 Painting/Monoprint, Saratoga Library, Saratoga, CA
2011 Painting/Monoprint, SF Convention and Visitors Bureau, San Francisco, CA
2010 Blue Planet: An Eco-Art Exhibit, National Juried Group Exhibition: Women's Caucus for the Art, Juror Artist Kim Abeles, SOMArts Bay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2010 Painting and Wall Installation, Menlo Park Library, Menlo Park, CA
2009 Painting and Wall Installation, Shelldance Orchid Gallery, Pacifica, CA
2009 Monoprint, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA
2007 Graphic Design Exhibit, Micheal P. Vergas Gallery, Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
2001 Monoprint and Sculptures, Olive Hyde Art Gallery, Fremont, CA
PRESS/PUBLICATIONS
2019 The ArtSlant Team, “Uma Iyli Answers 5 Questions”, San Francisco: ArtSlant, February 11, 2019.
2018 Davis, Genie, “The StART Up Art Fair 2018”, Los Angeles: Art and Cake Magazine, February 2, 2018.
2017 Mak, Alex, “Artists You Should Know Interview”, San Francisco: Broke-Ass Stuart, April 13, 2017.
2016 Catalog for Women’s Caucus for Art exhibition Trending: Contemporary Art Now!. Juror: Elizabeth Garvey, co-founder and owner of Garvey Simon Art Access.
2016 Gutfreund Cornett Art and UniteWomen.org, “Vision: An Artist's Perspective”, Exhibition Catalog for "VISION", June 5, 2016.
2016 Palmer, Tom & Kim, Aileen, “American Art Collector 2016”, Berkeley: Alcove Books, Sept 2016.
2015 Cui, Candice, “ARTISTS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS AT OPEN STUDIOS WKND 2”, San Francisco: Broke Ass Stuart, October 23, 2015.
2015 Etundi, William, “The Exposure Award: Art Photography Collection”, Paris: See/Me, July 13, 2015.
2015 ArtSpan, Persistence: ArtSpan's 2015 SF Open Studios Guide Book. New Asterisk Press: San Francisco, Weekend 2: page 9 & 63.
2015 Palmer, Tom & Kim, Aileen, “American Art Collector 2015”, Berkeley: Alcove Books, Sept 2015
2010 Gutfreund, Karen, “Create Revision Recreate: Blue Planet Catalog”. San Francisco: Pacific Region Women’s Caucaus for Art, June 2010, 2014 Rogers, Amanda N., “WCAs Best of 2014”, Feb 2014: Amanda N. Rogers Blog.
2014 “WCA Best of 2014 Calendar July 2014-December 2015”, San Francisco: Pacific Region Women’s Caucaus for Art.
2010 Adrian, Amber, “A Guide to Open Studios”, San Francisco: 7x7, Oct 7, 2010.