Dr. Cleo Roberts-Komireddi is a London-based art historian, broadcaster, curator, and cultural commentator whose work bridges scholarship, journalism, podcasting, and institutional leadership. She specialises in contemporary South and Southeast Asian art.
She hosts Art Worlds, a podcast that seeks out “lesser-known and unexpected” art communities globally, using audio storytelling to give visibility to marginalised artists and art spaces. She is also writing a major book on Indian art that traces its evolution from prehistory to the present day; the project has been supported by an Association for Art History grant.
Her writing appears in major international outlets including The Financial Times, The Guardian, Frieze, The Spectator, and The Daily Telegraph. She has contributed essays to prominent art books published by Phaidon and Thames & Hudson. In addition, Roberts-Komireddi contributes to institutions as an educator and adviser: she has lectured at places such as Sotheby’s Institute, Princeton, the University of Cambridge, the Royal Asiatic Society, and others. She has also held roles with STIRworld (as consulting editor), served on the academic advisory panel for MAP Academy, and holds a leadership position overseeing artist and institutional relationships at the gallery Edel Assanti.
Her professional background includes early work in artist studio settings – for example, at Yinka Shonibare’s studio, where she helped launch the Guest Projects artist residencies, and at Oliver Beer’s studio – as well as collaborations with museums on sound installation commissions. In her approach, she is committed to expanding the boundaries of art history: highlighting transregional, diasporic, and non-Western art narratives; cultivating new voices in art writing; and linking scholarly research with public engagement.
In this episode of the Pearl Lam Podcast, Pearl Lam speaks with Cleo Roberts-Komireddi about her journey into Indian art and the shifting dynamics of the global art world.
Cleo reflects on formative encounters with performance art in India that challenged her perceptions and inspired her lifelong research, leading to her forthcoming book on Indian art history.
The discussion explores the challenges facing academia and the art market today — from the impact of technology and AI to generational shifts in collecting and museum-going. Cleo and Pearl consider the rise of immersive art, the changing role of institutions, and the future of patronage in an uncertain economy, while also touching on Cleo’s passion for writing, research, and building cross-cultural connections through art.
Follow Cleo Roberts-Komireddi on Instagram.
