Thota Vaikuntam

Born in 1942 in Boorugupali, Andhra Pradesh, T. Vaikuntam completed a Diploma in Painting at the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad, in 1970, and then another in Painting and Printmaking from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, in 1972.

He held his first solo exhibition at the Kala Bhavan in Hyderabad in 1973, and since then has had regular shows at various galleries in Hyderabad, Bangalore, New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. His most recent shows have been ‘Yes, I am He’ organized by India Fine Art at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2007; ‘Telangana: Inheritance of a Dream Lost’ at Art Alive, New Delhi, also in 2007; and ‘Mukham’ at Sanskriti Art Gallery, Kolkata, in 2006.

Vaikuntam paints colorful and elaborately dressed Telangana region men and seductive women. His muse is the sensuous and voluptuous women of Telangana with their omnipresent vermilion bindis, draped in colourful sarees that highlight their dusky skin.

Among his several honours are the National Award for Painting, which Vaikuntam received in 1993, and the Biennale Award from Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, which he received in 1988-89.

He also worked as art director for the film, Daasi, which received a National award. He also worked on Maa Bhoomi (1979), Matti Manushulu and film was made based on story as Rangula Kala, which displayed the range of his work as young upcoming painter.

The artist lives and works in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.