ART SCENE
Rainbow of Hope
Artist Tabinda Chinoy
By Fatima S. Khan

In her paintings, Tabinda portrays intelligence and exuberance an idealistic universality and commonality, pertaining to motherhood, spirituality and that wonderful sense of “hope” a common thread that transcends all boundaries, the viewer is glad to join in this colorful journey of hope and happiness.
She lives in Karachi, a city where distinguished artists like her are appreciated and applauded for their talents.
Her townhouse is situated on a beautiful tree lined street, as you step in, the living room walls are lined with not only her own artwork but the most notable artists like Sadequin,Chughtai and Jamil Naqsh. Scanning her priceless collection of artwork is a real treat. Furthermore as you step into the peaceful back yard in the background you see walls, draped with lush green ivy and in the forefront is the sparkling pool and numerous sculptures, each unique in size and shape molded with different materials like, marble, fiberglass and copper. Each one is masterfully sculpted using indigenous materials to explore the creative process and working methods. Her sculptures vary in from male, female to a child, she experiments each form with the choice of materials like marble, fiberglass and copper.
Tabinda has a confident and vivacious personality she idealizes the world to exist in harmony, regardless of the differences in religions, color or race, as she reflects such idealism in her artwork. Her most prominent painting, a magnificent portrayal of cityscape, a cluster of colorful towers mosques, churches, synagogues and temples, is a magical realism.
Using a strong color Palette for domes and turrets, suggesting synagogues, churches mosques and temples, overlapping and embracing each other-----where she has brilliantly captured the proportions and the cheerful bright colors represent “Hope, Happiness and Unity”. The small checkerboard pattern suggests the childhood memory of her home where she learnt to respect and embrace all religions and all people.
Tabinda’s under water paintings express a sense of freedom from worries, there is a resemblance to Marc Chagall, a Russian born French painter. Whereas Chagall’s paintings depict an afterlife experience, inspired from his wife’s death. Here Tabinda is more in the present and the hopeful future, which is suffused with peace and tranquility. The image of a female face with closed eyes, a touch of spirituality indirectly leads the viewer, whether our fates are pre-determined or we have the will to break free of the mundane, equating freedom with choice. Choice even in mundane matters embodies a larger ideal. Choice enables us to live the life we want to.
Furthermore, the fishes are representational of free spirit, light heartedness, grateful openness to life and subtleties that unite the humans. Floating fishes, green pastures; rising moon, every image is effervescent and spontaneous, it has an underlying message of hope, giving a distinct visual signature.
Sunflowers are indigenous to the region of Sindh, this painting resembles Vincent Van Gogh’s famous painting “Sunflowers”, which he painted in the small town of Arles in France. Tabinda’s sunflowers are vibrant in color full bloom sign of hope and happiness both go hand in hand.


FLoating woman



Tabinda Chinoy with her bronze sculpture 'Mother and child'


Sunflowers



Rooftops



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Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
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