Tuesday 16 / April / 2024
Tarini Agarwal, an artist based in Muscat, is all set to host her second solo exhibition entitled, “Coloreidoscope,” at the City Seasons Hotel next week. She has always used art as a medium of expression, it being the core of an artist’s work, whether it’s done intentionally or unintentionally. Tarini’s art has a heart and she uses this as a medium to bring change to many lives.
The artist has always ensured that her art is used for a noble cause in some way or the other. Recently, one of her works was selected to be displayed at the Stal Gallery. It will be auctioned to help children with Down Syndrome at The Sultan’s School. Last year, an auction for her artwork was held to raise funds for the Oman Cancer Association, prior to that she had also helped raise funds for charitable organisations, such as Dar Al Hannan, Dar Al Atta’a, and the SML Mobile Library.
That is not all. Tarini is also associated with Art for Para Equestrian Therapeutic Riding Association (PERTA), the Twitter Art Exhibit in Los Angeles; the proceeds for which will go to various Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs), and has also raised funds for the Ladies Charity Wing of the Low Income Workers Medical Fund. Talking about her journey so far Tarini, who is a self taught artist, said her love for art was nurtured while growing up in the midst of contemporary Indian art.
“From a very young age I liked to experiment with different mediums and taught myself to paint in oils, acrylics, and water colours, amongst others,” she said. Being a qualified teacher and having been in the field of teaching for more than two decades, painting has always been a passion for her.
“In 2012, I decided to put in a concerted effort into learning and improving my art. So for the last five years I have moved from art being a hobby to becoming a profession,” she said. Having specialised in the abstract form of art, Agarwal loves art in all forms and feels that the magic is in experimenting and playing with colours to create something beautiful. “I love to watch how the colours respond to the changes I make on the canvas. My art is organic, so I let it grow in whatever direction the canvas takes me,” she said.
While she started as a realistic artist, over the years her style has evolved into a different direction. “I find myself moving towards abstract art. My focus has moved more towards the choice of colours and their placement,” she said. Her exhibition “Coloreidoscope” will showcase her works that use colours to evoke emotion. “A colour is what we make of it. It can be sensitive, dreamlike, atmospheric, sombre, explosive or cheerful. Colour evokes all these emotions and more.
“It is Mother Nature’s language and she uses it to communicate with us,” Tarini said. The subjects of her work continue to be inspired by Oman — the beautiful landscape, the peaceful people, and the grand architecture. “I will be showcasing 20 paintings, with sizes varying from medium to large,” she added.
Talking about her greatest challenge so far, Tarini said it was being able to make time to paint, considering she is also a wife, mother, and till recently a full-time teacher. But she still considers herself lucky to have a couple of commissioned works.
“Working on these was exciting, yet challenging because they were on a larger canvas, in comparison with what I usually work with. Ever since I took up art as a profession, I have participated in group exhibitions with local and expat artists, and I always submit a few pieces for the fundraising exhibitions that take place in Oman. This is my second solo exhibition, which poses its own challenges, but I look forward to the experience it is going to give me,” she said.
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‘Coloreidoscope’
April 19- May 2
Majlis Art Café, City Seasons Hotel
