PERSONAL INFORMATION
Profession(s): Illustrator, Animator, Visual Artist, Social Activist
Date of Birth: 1 February 1989 (Wednesday)
Age (as of 2021): 32 Years
Birthplace: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Zodiac sign: Aquarius
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Religion/Religious Views: The paternal family of Shilo Shiv Suleman served as the custodians to Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu temple in Edakkad, Kannur district. [2] Shilo Shiv Suleman’s Instagram According to an offbeat tradition in the village, temples are not only visited but also ceremonially worn to worship Goddess Bhagwati (commonly known as Durga). The wearable shrines were a reminder that our body is a temple of God. The shrines were worn only by men, citing that women’s bodies were impure to undertake this holy tradition. Suleman broke stereotypes by wearing a ceremonial shrine and claimed that women’s bodies are worthy of serving as a channel of divinity. [3] Shilo Shiv Suleman’s Instagram While describing her ethnicity in an interview, she said, [4] Deccan Chronicle “I am a half-Muslim, half-Hindu, half-South Indian, half-North Indian and was brought up in Bengaluru and Indore.”
Food Habit: Vegetarian [5] Bangalore Mirror Note: Earlier Shilo Shiv Suleman was non-vegetarian, but later, she became vegetarian
Age: 32 Years
EDUCATION
School: Valley School, Bengaluru
College/University: Srishti School of Art Design and Technology, Bengaluru
Educational Qualification: A course in Design and Animation [1] Saffron Tree
PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Height (approx.): in centimeters – 160 cm in meters – 1.60 m in feet & inches – 5’ 3”
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
Marital Status: Unmarried
Affairs/Boyfriends: Abhay Deol (rumoured)
Husband/Spouse: NA
Parents: Father – Shiv Nambiar Mother – Nilofer Suleman (also known as Suleman Chai) (A notable a noted contemporary artist)
Siblings: Brother – Shaan Shiv Suleman (Graphic Designer at Capillary Technologies)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Awards, Honours, Achievements: • Chosen by TED and Levi’s as an ambassador of the “Shape What’s To Come” campaign; She was one of three Indian women to be felicitated with this honour at the TED Global Conference (2011), Edinburgh • FutureBook Innovation Award (2012) for “Khoya” • Femina ‘Woman of Worth’ (2014) • The New India Express Devi Award (2015)
OTHER INFORMATION
Art Exhibitions: • Beloved (2015) • India Art Fair (2018) • The 20th (2018) • Pilgrims in Space, Time, Identity (2019) • Reincarnate (2021)
Tattoo(s): • A geometric lotus inked on her upper back • A bunch of flower inked on her left arm
Painter(s): Frida Kahlo (Mexican Painter), Amrita Sher-Gil (Indian Painter), Gustav Klimt (Austrian painter)
Contemporary Artist: Faith47
Art festival: Burning Man, La Biennale di Venezia
Work of art: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
Singer: Indian: Begum Akhtar American: Billie Holiday, Nina Simone
Film(s): A Clockwork Orange (1971), Apocalypse Now (1979), The Shining (1980), Pulp Fiction (1994), Requiem for a Dream (2000), Kill Bill (2003), American Beauty (1999), Waking Life (2001), Spirited Away (2001), Amélie (2001), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Shilo Shiv Suleman is an accomplished Indian visual artist known for her enchanting illustrations and captivating installations that embody the essence of magical realism. Her contemporary art weaves a narrative that blends a realistic portrayal of the modern world with whimsical elements, creating a unique visual language that invites viewers into a realm where the ordinary interacts with the extraordinary. Born into a family steeped in artistic influence, Suleman’s journey into the world of art began early, shaped significantly by the experiences of her adolescence, particularly the profound impact of her father’s departure when she was just thirteen. Following that pivotal moment, her mother, Nilofer Suleman, a psychology student turned lithographer, emerged as the family’s sole provider, dedicating herself to art while nurturing her two children. In a reflective TEDx talk, Shilo shared, “Art became both the financial and the emotional backbone of our family,” highlighting the transformative power of creativity in their lives.
As a child, Shilo’s fascination with art blossomed alongside her mother’s artistic endeavors, and the two eventually found themselves at the Valley School, where Shilo studied and Nilofer taught. This nurturing environment allowed her to cultivate her artistic talents further. At the age of thirteen, Suleman embarked on a journey that would ignite her wanderlust, traveling solo from Bengaluru to Goa. She described that formative trip as a catalyst for her ongoing exploration. “I was 13 when I first got on a bus and took off to Goa alone, and I don’t think that journey has ended yet,” she recalled, encapsulating her adventurous spirit. This thirst for exploration continued to shape her artistic vision as she traveled throughout India, capturing memories and emotions in her notebooks. For Suleman, illustration became a conduit for expressing gratitude for the landscapes and encounters she experienced, leading her to draw incessantly, collecting stories, places, faces, and even pressing flowers between the pages.
Suleman’s artistic journey took a significant leap when she illustrated her first book at the tender age of sixteen—a collection of children’s poems in Hindi. Her portfolio quickly expanded to include a spooky tale titled “Tak Tak” for Karadi Tales, and by eighteen, she had illustrated around ten books. In 2009, she co-illustrated “Pampasutra,” a mythological exploration of the river goddess of Hampi, further solidifying her position within the literary and artistic community. Her education at the Srishti School of Art and Design introduced her to the Toy Lab, a unique space where she engaged with technology and design, a stark contrast to her earlier technophobic tendencies honed in a rural setting devoid of computers. During this period, Suleman also contributed to social movements, designing a poster for the Pink Chaddi Campaign, a nonviolent protest against the harassment of women.
Suleman’s impact on the art world continued to grow, especially following her selection for an INK Fellowship in 2010, which recognized her innovative contributions to art and illustration. One of her standout projects was the development of “Khoya,” a digital storybook application launched at the INK conference in 2011, which went on to receive the Future Books Award for Best Children’s Book in 2012. Beyond digital media, Suleman has worked on various artistic projects, from painting murals to illustrating advertisements, always incorporating her signature style characterized by watercolors and collages. Her fearless spirit shone through in her collaborative work with The Fearless Collective, where she created murals in Varanasi and Mumbai that celebrated the strength of marginalized communities. Notably, her mural of Bubbli Mallik, a transgender leader in Pakistan, conveyed a powerful message of identity and existence. Today, Suleman continues to inspire through her art, with notable installations at events like the Burning Man Festival and features in documentaries such as MTV’s “Rebel Music,” cementing her legacy as a transformative figure in contemporary art.
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Note: All biographical information compiled from publicly available sources.