Chennai based Alamu Kumaresan's debut solo exhibition, curated by Tasneem Mehta, opened at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in 2023. She holds a Masters in Fine Arts in painting from Madras University, Government College of Fine Arts in 2007. Alamu belongs to a lineage of women from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu who were known for their skills in the areas of stitching and handwork. Their creations – basket weaving, embroidery, beadwork and textiles – gave a unique identity to the region that survives to this day. Her grandmother and mother were experts with the needle. They created magic out of the simple chain, stem, running and back stitch. The table cloths, pillows and various other embroidered items they created are objects of beauty that inspired her her artistic journey. Trained as a painter, she is drawn to the expressive possibilities of textile and yarn. She uses fabric, thread, yarn, embroidery — and at times, even foam, metal and wood. The choice of material is guided by the work itself. Her works take a dual direction: she employs portraiture to depict individuals whom she has been inspired by, and organic abstraction that has nature and landscape as its starting point. Alamu has participated in the Korea Golden Jubilee of INKO, International Exchange Exhibition at Busan, Korea, 2023 and ‘Confluence' Chennai Biennale 2024 organised by INKO Centre at Lalit Kala Akademi, among other group shows. Her second solo will open at Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art in 2026.