Lines from an Artistic Life the Drawings of Adimoolam - Tapa dura

... these works have a significant role in the development of modern Indian painting. --Asian Art Books 2007

This book explores the drawings of eminent Indian artist K M Adimoolam, well-known in India and internationally for his meticulous pen-and-ink drawings on subjects ranging from realistic portraits of Mahatma Gandhi to idealised portrayals of Indian kings and warriors, and semi-abstract depictions of Hindu gods informed by Cubism. Born in 1938 in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu, K M Adimoolam's natural aptitude for drawing at an early age made him move to Chennai in 1959. There, under the influence of the sculptor Dhanapal, he enrolled in the School of Arts and Crafts. After completing his Diploma in Advanced Painting in 1966, Adimoolam started a series of black-and-white portraits of Mahatma Gandhi. Sketching from photographs of the great man, he finished nearly 100 drawings that covered over 6o years of the Mahatma's life. At about this time, Adimoolam came into contact with Tamil writers and began an association with them, illustrating their works, after which he took up oil painting. Colour came into his life, causing him to move from the figurative to the abstract. Adimoolam now works with equal ease at drawing and painting, combining the two to produce a large body of work. The recipient of many honours and awards, his works are held in numerous public and private collections in India and abroad. This book will appeal to all those with an interest in drawing, contemporary art and Indian culture.