Actor Amita Suman, formerly starring in ‘Dr. Who’ and currently a lead character in the number one most watched Netflix series ‘Shadow and Bone’, has taken up a new role this spring. Delving into her passion for the visual arts, Suman has collaborated with Sotheby’s on the upcoming Contemporary Curated auction, selecting a handful of artworks to appear as part of the sale, which she felt truly resonated. Suman’s personal edit will go on view in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries alongside the full contents of the sale from 12-18 April, with the auction opening for bidding online concurrently.
Growing up in a small village in Parsa, Nepal, the scene was set for Suman’s lifelong appreciation of art when, as a young child, she was transfixed by the beautiful hand-painted murals and sculptures of Hindu Gods: “The story of Rama and Sita and all the depictions of Ganesha and Hanuman ji, were my first experience of art, because that’s the only thing people owned in the village. You would see them in people’s houses - either works on paper or portrayed in sculptural form - and of course in temples.” Aged seven, Suman moved to England, settling in Brighton, which she describes as “a hub of creativity which has one of the best art scenes in the UK, and a space for all manner of self-expression.”
It was in Brighton that Suman’s dreams of becoming an actor quickly became a reality. She studied acting at high school and was accepted into drama school in London, marking the beginning of an impressive career trajectory, with roles in The Outpost, The Sandman, and currently as Inej Ghafa in Shadow and Bone. Now based in Brixton, Suman is inspired by the endless creativity of the capital and sees the wealth of statues, museums, galleries and street art as integral to London’s identity.
Suman’s love of art is inextricably linked to her passion, as an actor, for self-exploration and storytelling. For her, the endless possibilities for living out your imagination through art is what appeals, with visual stimulation forming an essential part of her preparations for acting roles. Today her appetite spans contemporary, Impressionism, mixed-media and South East Asian art.
