Thota Vaikuntam (b. 1942)

Thota Vaikuntam, born in 1942 in Burugupalli, Andhra Pradesh is an acclaimed Indian artist. He studied Painting and Printmaking at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara. His art works are based on the inspiration that he finds in the rural area of his state. The central character of his works are primarily the men and women of his region. Women are seen draped in lively and sparkling sarees, hair tied in a bun, numerous bangles, a huge red bindi on a turmeric-smothered forehead and a stunning nose ring. His art has a sense of vigour which emanates from the fine strokes that he put into effect on the canvas with the rich use of primary colours. Vaikuntam has been honoured with several awards and accolades for his vibrant work. These include Lalit Kala Akademi’s National Award for Painting in 1993; Biennale Award from Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal in 1988 and many others. His work has got appreciation and recognition at both national and international level. His works got exhibited in numerous group and solo shows such as ‘The Root of Everything’ at Gallery Mementos, Bangalore, 2009; ‘Post Independence Masters’ at Aicon Gallery, New York, 2008; ‘Yes, I am He’ organized by India Fine Art at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2007; ‘Telangana: Inheritance of a Dream Lost’ at Art Alive, New Delhi, 2007; and ‘Mukham’ at Sanskriti Art Gallery, Kolkata, 2006 and many others.