Artists from Andhra Pradesh are enriching the history and tradition of painting and sculpture.

What’s interesting, though, is how resonant the human subject is as a pivot for the emergence of new work from the state.  The hinge comes in, just before the images that bare some or no resemblance but evocatively state that the human figure is indeed are lodged in artistic consciousness.

A collection of works done by the artists from the state unveiled at New Delhi based Gallerie Nvya is a testimony to this.

We feature here some of the exquisite creations of artists from the state (Courtesy: Gallerie Nvya)

Surya Prakash
Born 1940, Madhira, Andhra Pradesh, Surya completed his diploma in fine arts from the Govt. College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad and worked under Ram Kumar at New Delhi.

He has had several one-man shows in all the major cities of India. His works have been a part of the Paris Biennale 1971; Five Indian Arti

sts, Mannheim, Germany; Modern Indian Art, Kunstalle, Germany 1982; Modern Indian Painting, Hirshorn Museum, Washington 1982; Art Museum, Ginza, Tokyo 1995. and the New South Exhibition, London.

Surya was the commissioner for the 11th Indian International Triennale, New Delhi 2005. He has been awarded the title of “Kala Vibhushan” by the All India Fine Arts Society, New Delhi.

Surya has been an artist-in-residence at the Centre for Cellular and M

oleucular Biology and L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, where he also has curated several exhibitions and art camps of renowned Indian artists. His works are in a number of private and institutional collections all over India, U.K., Germany and U.S.A.

Thota Vaikuntam
Born 1942, Boorugupalli, Andhra Pradesh, Thota completed his diploma in painting from the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad 1971-72.
Since 1972, he has held numerous group shows and has participated in innumerable group shows all across the country in U.K. and U.S.A.
Thota has been awarded by the Hyderabad Art Society, A.P. Lalit Kala Akademi, Hyderabad; Mahakoshal Kala Samithi, Madhya Pradesh; Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta; Bharat Bhavan Biennale; National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

Vaikuntam has also given art direction for movies like Maa bhoomi, Rangula kala, Matti Manushulu, Daasi. He is the only person with two National Awards both for painting in 1993 and art direction in 1989 for the film Daasi. His works adorn many pubic and private collections in India and abroad.

V. Ramesh

Born 1958, Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh graduated in fine arts from M.S. University, Baroda following it with a post graduation from the same university.

He has held several solo shows in Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai 1988; Centre of contemporary Art, New Delhi 1990; Sakshi Gallery, Bangalore 1991; Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai 1993, 1997; Gallery Threshold, Visakhapatnam 1998; Apparao Galleries, Chennai 1998; Nazar Art Gallery, Baroda 2000.

His works have been a part of many group shows such as the 2nd Biennale, Havana, Cuba; Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal etc. Ramesh has been a recipient of the Junior Fellowhsip from the Dept. of Culture in 1990-93; Sanskriti Award in 1993; Senior Fellowship from the Dept. of Culture in 1995-97. He has been teaching at the Dept. of Fine Arts, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam since 1985.