Thota Vaikuntam

Born in 1942 in Boorugupalli, Andhra Pradesh, Thota Vaikuntam is a unique painter who captures the rustic beauty of rural Telangana. He studied at the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad, where he completed his diploma in 1970. He won the Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship to study Painting and Printmaking at the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S University, Baroda, in 1972 under the guidance of Prof. K.G. Subramanyan, after which he toyed with the idea of abstraction.

Vaikuntam draws inspiration from the simple lives of the native women and men of Telangana and captures their essence. His paintings exude his fascination with the indomitable yet innocent spirit of women. His mastery is clearly visible in the use of rich primary colours, intricate lines, execution of the figures, and the detailed portrayal of their jewellery and apparel. Vaikuntam's vibrant, women-centric universe results from the attempt to capture the sensuousness of his muses, the village women.

Thota Vaikutam paintings are known for his primary colours and his refusal to use composite colours. According to him, primary colours are found in nature, and he prefers to work with them. Dark faces, almond eyes, voluptuous women with vermillion bindis, rich ornaments, and intricate designs characterize his figures.

He portrays the people of his village with meticulous attention to detail. Sometimes, he remembers his mother, who used to wear big bindis and bright sarees. Thota Vaikuntam is also into music and incorporates men playing the flute and women listening to it as if they are enchanted with a parrot perching over their shoulders.

Thota Vaikuntam held his first solo exhibition at the Kalabhavan in Hyderabad in 1973. His most recent art exhibitions include 'Thota Vaikuntam: Redefining The Cultural Gaze'at Art Alive Gallery (2024) 'The Telangana Icons' at Grosvenor Gallery in collaboration with Art Alive Gallery (2015), 'Yes, I am He' organized by India Fine Art at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai and 'Telangana: Inheritance of a Dream Lost' at Art Alive, New Delhi (2007); and 'Mukham' at Sanskriti Art Gallery, Kolkata, (2006).

He also participated in numerous group shows including the India Art Fair, 'Indian Harvest' presented by Crimson – the Art Resource, Bangalore, at SG Private Bank, Singapore, 'The Root of Everything' at Gallery Mementos, Bangalore (2009); 'Post Independence Masters' at Aicon Gallery, New York (2008); '6 Artists Show' at 1x1 Gallery, Dubai (2006); 'Tradition and Change' at Arts India, New York (2002); and 'Ignition' at Crimson Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2000.

His distinctive style has earned him multiple awards, including the Bharat Bhavan Biennale Award in 1999; the National Award for Painting from the Government of India in 1993; the Hyderabad Art Society Award, Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, 1982 & 1985; Chitra Kala Parishad Award, Bangalore, India in 1979 and Academy of Fine Arts Award, Kolkata in (1979).

Multiple art books featured his decades-long oeuvre; among them are Thota Vaikuntam- Art Alive Master Series Books, Rustic Ragas: Inner Melodies of Thota Vaikuntam, A Retrospective Book: Thota Vaikuntam, and Thota Vaikuntam: The Man and His Women.

He lives and works in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.