Painter Adhimoolam passes away

Chennai, Jan 16 (UNI) Famous Tamil painter K M Adhimoolam died here today following a brief illness. He was 70. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

The funeral would take place this evening, family sources said.

Adhimoolam was a recipient of various awards, including the Lalit Kala Akademi award in 1979. He had also won many state awards in Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.

His masterpieces included creation of saint-poet Tiruvalluvar's work 'Tirukkural', which he described as quite a challenge.

''He was such a great poet... it is very difficult to match his ideas with illustrations. His thoughts and words are beyond illustration. Yet, I have put my heart and mind to it. As an artist who lives in the 21st century, I feel fortunate to have painted his ideas,'' he had said about the poet's works.

Born in 1938 near Tiruchirapalli, Adhimoolam had graduated from the Government College of Art and Crafts, Chennai. He was earlier associated with the famous Cholamandalam artists village on the East Coast Road.

He had held several solo and group shows in the country and abroad. They included the Sixth Triennale, New Delhi, in 1986, 19th Sao Paulo Biennal Brazil in 1987, RIMBAUD 91 at The Alliance Francaise de Madras in Chennai and France in 1991 and Maya Gallery at Hong Kong in 1995 and 1999.

He had attended several artistes camps and painted murals for corporate houses and hotels. He had served as a jury member at the National Exhibition of Art in 1986.

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