VISION AND RESPONSE
   Vaikuntam's paintings bring a calmness of spirit and tranquillity to all those who see them. He avoids an obviously disturbing form but instead has repeated the pictorial motifs extensively. At the emotional level his aim appears to be ,to create, a harmony between an imaginative concept and his technical expertise. His paintings deal with the theme of Love, which is always indirect and veiled. He does this successfully by using symbols like the parrot and mirror. The mirror reflects the Nayika's mood and the parrot her gentleness. Vaikuntam's parrot appears as an ardent listener to the lover's woes.

             The line of Vaikuntam has a magical quality suggesting both contour and volume. He consciously transforms the line of force, volume and tactile feeling into one of decoration to suit his purpose. The eroticism thus appears very subtle and merely suggestive.

             Like the folk painters, the placement of the form, without illusionistic depth, the decorative pattern on the fabric, the endless repetition of typical form show Vaikuntam's urbane approach and makes it clear that he could remodel and restructure any tradition for working out his style. Undisturbed by environment we concentrate on the psychological tensions generated on purely human terms. These small paintings with large figures occupy the viewers gaze. They seem to be prisoners of their own decorated garments and jewelry that symbolize societal rules. Using powerful images of women, Vaikuntam explains and illumines the rich meaning of feminine beauty.

RAJANI PRASANN
JULY 1998
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THOTA VAIKUNTAM
BORN in 1942, Boorugupalli, Karimnagar District, Andhra Pradesh
 

QUALIFICATION

  • Diploma in Drawing and painting from the Government College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad (1970)
  • Specialised in painting and print making under Prof. K.G. Subramanyam at the Faculty of Fine Arts. M.S. University, Baroda under A.P Lalit Kala Academy fellowship.


ONE MAN SHOW

  • 1973 -First one man show at Kala Bhavan, Hyderabad
  • 1974  - One man show of small drawings at Hyderabad Art Society
  • 1977  - Ink Drawings, Kala Bhavan, Hyderabad
  • 1978  - Exhibition of Prints, Alliance Franchias, Bangalore
  • 1978 Ink & Wash Drawings, Kala Bhavan, Hyderabad
  • 1980  - Charcoal Drawings on 'Mother' Series
  • 1983  - Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad Drawings and Paintings
  • 1985 Drawings Exhibition at Kala Blhavan, Hyderabad
  • 1989 Painting Exhibition, Max Muller Bhavan, Hyderabad
  • 1990  - Cymroza Art Gallery, Bombay
  • 1991  - Grindlays Gallery, Madras
  • 1991  - Gallery Espace, New Delhi
  • 1992 - The Gallery, Madras
  • 1992 - Gallery Kufa, London
  • 1992 - Cymroza Art Gallery, Bombay
  • 1993 - The Gallery, Madras
  • 1993 - Anniversary Show Gallerie '88, Calcutta Academy of Fine Art, Calcutta; Summer Show at The Gallery, Madras; Silver Jubilee Exhibitions, Birla Academy, Calcutta; Wide Angle (Bombay) Sarala Art Centre, Madras
  • 1994  First Anniversary Show, Surya Gallery, Hyderabad; Art in miniature form Renaissance, Bangalore; Gallery Ganesh Show, New Delhi; Contemporary Miniature Art CIMA, Calcutta; Indian Encounter II, Lee Arthur Studio, New York, USA
  • 1995  Art for Cry, Bombay; Group Show at Gallery Ganesha AIFACS, Calcutta; Autumn Exhibition, CIMA - Calcutta;   Sixth Anniversary Show at Gallery Ganesha; Second Anniversary Show at Surya Gallery, Hyderabad; 'Women' Show by The Gallery (Madras) at Singapore
AWARDS
  • 1973, 77, 82 - Hyderabad Art Society
  • 1985 - A.F Lalita Kala Academy
  • 1983 - Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore
  • 1979 - Mahakoshal Kala Samithi,
  • 1979 - Madhya Pradesh