It was a breezy wintery evening in Gurugram; Art enthusiasts flocked to an evening dedicated to Art. Museo Camera museum welcomed Art enthusiasts to an exhibition by Tarab Khan, an artist & author from Hyderabad. The eclectic paintings lifted the mood of the art gallery. The art lovers arrived dressed in their Ikkats and long jackets. All were seen having a good time and discussing Art over coffee and hors d oeuvres.
Tarab, who has held many shows in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi, is known for her life-size canvases. “At the gates of Talbosh” is her third solo show in Delhi. She previously held solo shows at Lalit Kala Akademi and India Habitat centre and one group show with Art Alive Gallery. Tarab began making Art at an early age and even won many state awards and Camlin all India contests as a student.
The artist’s emphasis was on composition and depiction in a storytelling form. The show’s highlight was a 12 feet wide statement art, with five panels, ‘At the gates of Talbosh.’ It can be best described as a dreamlike exotic landscape, where a girl can be seen longing for the impossible, flying into the moon, and escaping to a new land. The scenes depict an enchanted nighttime scene with billowing clouds and swirling arcs of colours. All five pieces of canvas are precisely unconnected, yet they seemingly flow from one canvas to another. There is a particular oneiric delight, and the magical moon promises the girl to take her to a new land of possibilities.
When asked, “what does art mean to you?” The artist explained, “To me, art is a realm. It is a mystical paradox; it can be real and unreal. We cannot contain Art in a defined box; it is infinite, like exploring an uncharted world. Art is also a means to state an opinion, tell stories or create a new view of the world. Art is the realm where we create meaning beyond the barriers of language. And when I paint, it feels like time travel, a flurry between past and future where I weave stories of imaginary playful worlds. I love to dwell between creative intelligence and philosophical intellectualism.”
All the paintings tell stories of a beautiful fantasy world. “I liked the exotic zebras juxtaposed with black and white striped. The raging bulls, the flying castles, the girl vanishing into the geometric portals, the smoking pipe, flying fishes, I feel I landed in a fairy tale world,” said an onlooker.
When asked about her favourite piece of art, Tarab replied, “My emphasis is always on composition and the story it tells. I do have a few personal favourites. The solitary mermaid in “I will catch the moon” is an intriguing composition and somewhat unconventional painting. This Art is about ushering into a new world where the lines between reality and imagination turn blur.
Currently, the artist is working on the final draft of her two upcoming books, ‘The Creative Spindle, a book about adopting a holistic approach to developing creative intelligence. Her second project is a fiction written for children, ‘Tiny Tom: A little wonder. It is a heartwarming story for kids.
