Black Cube Gallery will host Threads of Tradition, a solo exhibition of new works by artist Thota Vaikuntam from November 6 to 30, 2025. The exhibition will be on view at Black Cube Gallery, G12A Hauz Khas, New Delhi, from Tuesday to Saturday, between 12 and 6 pm.
The exhibition presents a new direction in Vaikuntam’s practice, known for his distinctive figurative paintings depicting the people of Telangana. In this series, the artist extends his visual language into the medium of embroidery, working in collaboration with the Shams family of Agra, zardozi artisans whose lineage in this traditional craft dates back sixteen generations.
The new body of work translates Vaikuntam’s well-known imagery—figures draped in saturated reds, ochres, and blacks, adorned with jewellery and textiles—into three-dimensional form through silk zardozi embroidery on velvet, embellished with gemstones. The process merges painting and textile art, creating a tactile version of the artist’s familiar subjects while maintaining their stylistic and cultural essence.
Through this collaboration, the works explore the relationship between modern Indian painting and traditional craft, drawing attention to the continued relevance of hereditary skills and techniques. The exhibition reflects on the intersection of artistic vision and craftsmanship, bringing together the perspectives of the artist and artisan in a shared act of creation.
Born in 1942 in Telangana, Thota Vaikuntam studied at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda under modernist painter K.G. Subramanyan. He is a recipient of the National Award for Painting from the Government of India (1993) and the Bharat Bhavan Biennale Award (1999). The artist continues to live and work in Hyderabad.