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This article covers 'Threads of Tradition', a solo exhibition by Thota Vaikuntam at Black Cube Gallery, New Delhi, running from November 6–30, 2025. The show marks a new chapter in Vaikuntam’s practice as his iconic depictions of rural Telangana are reimagined through zardozi embroidery by the Shams family of Agra, artisans with a 300-year lineage in the craft.
New Delhi's Black Cube Gallery, founded by Sanya Malik, presents 'Threads of Tradition', a solo exhibition of new works by Thota Vaikuntam, one of India’s most respected modern artists. Known for his vivid depictions of rural Telangana, Vaikuntam steps into a new medium of embroidery with this show. Here, his signature figures are reinterpreted through the intricate zardozi handwork of the Shams family of Agra, a lineage of artisans who have practiced the craft for over three centuries.
Born in 1942, Thota Vaikuntam studied at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda under K.G. Subramanyan. His work has earned him the National Award for Painting (1993) and the Bharat Bhavan Biennale Award (1999). Across decades, Vaikuntam’s art has celebrated the everyday lives of Telangana’s people. His paintings are filled with colour and warmth — women in bright saris, adorned with jewellery, caught in moments of daily life. In 'Threads of Tradition', these familiar forms are rendered in silk thread and gemstones instead of paint, that brings his characters into three-dimensional presence, their surfaces textured, luminous, and tactile.
The collaboration between Vaikuntam and the Shams family is a rare meeting of two forms of mastery. Vaikuntam’s bold visual language finds new expression through the slow, intricate rhythm of embroidery. The details in the stitch reflects the care and technique passed down through generations of artisans. The zardozi work, done on velvet with silk and metallic threads, transforms the artist’s brushwork through texture, creating a striking balance between modern painting and traditional textile craft.
The exhibition also draws attention to the role of craft in sustaining cultural heritage. The Shams family’s involvement grounds the work in India’s long history of artisanal excellence. In Vaikuntam’s hands, this heritage finds a visual narrative. His subjects, drawn from the people of his home state seem to inhabit a different physicality through another form. 'Threads of Tradition' is both an evolution in his practice and a reflection on the endurance of Indian artistry.
The exhibition is on view at Black Cube Gallery, G12A Hauz Khas, New Delhi from Tuesday – Saturday, 12–6 pm, till November 30.
Follow Thota Vaikuntam's work here.
If you enjoyed reading this here's more from Homegrown:
From Gujarati Zari To Rajasthani Rebari & Beyond: Mapping India's Embroidery Traditions
4 Homegrown Artists Giving A Contemporary Spin To The Art Of Embroidery
Threads of Memory: 4 South Asian Textile Artists On Our Radar
