Page 394 - Manifest September 2024
P. 394

Colours



                                                                                                                                                                                                of Culture


                                                                                                                                                                                                      by Thota

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Vaikuntam

















                                                                                                                                                                                               Born in 1942 in Boorugupali, Andhra Pradesh, acclaimed
                                                                                                                                                                                               artist Thota Vaikuntam is best known for vibrant
                                                                                                                                                                                               paintings inspired by the daily lives of rural folk. In 1970,
                                                                                                                                                                                               he received his diploma in painting from the College
                                                                                                                                                                                               of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad and won the
                                                                                                                                                                                               Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship from Maharaja Sayajirao
                                                                                                                                                                                               University of Baroda in the following year, studying under
                                                                                                                                                                                               the guidance of renowned artist K. G. Subramanyan.
                                                                                                                                                                                               As a child, Vaikuntam was fascinated by the
                                                                                                                                                                                               impersonation of women characters by male theater
                                                                                                                                                                                               artists in his village. The impact of these performances
                                                                                                                                                                                               and  the  folk culture  surrounding  him  in  his  everyday
                                                                                                                                                                                               life is evident in his paintings. He is associated with the
                                                                                                                                                                                               usage of rich primary colours which add strength and
                                                                                                                                                                                               character to the figures. He also drew inspiration from
                                                                                                                                                                                               women, particularly strong maternal figures. Later,
                                                                                                                                                                                               as  his  creative  vision  expanded,  the  figures  started
                                                                                                                                                                                               including teachers, priests, farmers, and labourers. The
                                                                                                                                                                                               colourful poetic paintings with bold lines and intricate
                                                                                                                                                                                               brush strokes delve into rural themes and subjects of
                                                                                                                                                                                               Telangana, his native.
                                                                                                                                                                                               The  artist’s  first  solo  exhibition  was  held  at  the  Kala
                                                                                                                                                                                               Bhavan in Hyderabad in 1973. After this, his works were
                                                                                                                                                                                               regularly exhibited in Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi,
                                                                                                                                                                                               Bangalore, and Mumbai. Many of his works were also
                                                                                                                                                                                               showcased abroad including the UK, the US, Seoul, and
                                                                                                                                                                                               Hong Kong.
                                                                                                                                                                                               Vaikuntam  earned  many  prestigious  awards  including
                                                                                                                                                                                               the Biennale Award, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, 1988, the
                                                                                                                                                                                               National Film Award for Best Art Direction for the film
                                                                                                                                                                                               ‘Daasi’ directed by B. Narsing Rao in 1988, the National
                                                                                                                                                                                               Award for Painting from the Government of India in 1993.
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