Artist Pugazhenthi, who has been serving as an artist with a social vision for the past 37 years now, hails from Thumpathikottai, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India.
He graduated from the College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam and obtained his Master’s degree from the Central University, Hyderabad.
He was selected for the National Award for Youth by M.F.Hussian at Kolkatta in 1987. The Tamil Nadu state award for the same year, the International Airport Authority of India Award, the Hyderabad Central University’s Award of Merit, the Dharmapuri Human Resources Development Centre’s Best Artist Award and Gold Medal awarded by the Aesthetic Society of Tamil Eelam, Tamil Eelam Gold Medal Award, Tamil Eelam, Achievement Award of the Rajarajan Education and Culture Society, Award for Social Change through Art Movement given by St.Joseph College, Thiruchirappalli, Award for Utilisation of Art for Social Liberation given by the Vellore Thamizh Movement, Periyarian Thinker (Sinthanaiyalar) Award given by the Centre for Periyarian Thought, Rajapalayam, Honor of Personality – 2009 by Madras Chrisitian College, Chennai, Thoorigai Award presented by Kavimugil Foundation and Vizhigal Publication on occation of the 80th Birthday of Poet Erode Tamizhanban, Ananda Coomaraswamy Fine Arts Award by Thamizh Academy, SRM University, Best Conceptual Award by Tamil Desiya Kalai Ilakkiya Thadam, Gold Medal Award by World Tamil Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom, Best Tourist Attractive Artist-Tamil Nadu Tourism Award 2018 by Madura Travel, with support of Ministry of Tourism, Govt,of India and Dept.of Tourism Govt.of Tamil Nadu, Bharat Vidya Ratan award by Indian solidarity council, Delhi, Dhileepan memorial award by Jaffna University, Sri Lanka are some of the notable feathers in his cap.
His paintings have been exhibited in the National Level Exhibitions at Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc.
More than a hundred one-man shows under the titles of Burning Colours, Unslumbering Colours, Shattered Nest, Face of Direction, Mist, Storming Colours, Liveliness, The Life – frozen colours, Faces of war, Che Guevara : Colour of Revolution, Vanjikkadu : Woman – War and Peace et. have been conducted at prominent places in Tamil Nadu, the southern states of India and various countries of the world.
Pugazhenthi’s one man shows held in Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, Canada, France, Denmark, Australia, Tamil Eelam, Switzerland, Norway, United Kingdom etc.
He has undertaken Art Tours to Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, Canada, France, England, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Sri Lanka, Tamil Eelam, Norway, Sweden, United Arab Emirates etc.
Write-ups and interviews with regard to his paintings have appeared in the press and TV.
His works of art have been published under the titles of Burning Colours, Unslumbering Colours, Face of Direction, Facelines, Shock Lines, Shattered Nest and Storming Colours. His travelogue on his foreign trips to the USA and Europe entitled Wings of Brush, a collection of his entitled Impressive Colours, his historical, work dealing with European artists and their paintings entitled Westernsky have been published. His Paintings on Eelam War entitled Storming Colours. His travelogue on Tamil Eelam entitled Tamil Eelam – What I Saw and How I Was seen has also been published. Art – Elements and Principles, his work of basics, for all visual media, Vaanangal Meethana Vaarthaigal, a collection of opinions written by the visitors in his one man shows between 1988 and 2006, M.F.Hussain : Pioneer of Indian Contemporary Art, Thalaivar Prabakaran – Multi – dynamic Personality written by him, A book on Chennai Flood, his long interview entitled ‘Manitham’, his autobiography entitled ‘Me and My Colours’, Faces of War: Paintings on Eelam War, The Warriors I met: Field and Life have also been published.
He teaches now at the College of Fine Arts, Chennai.