Roses are not always red for painter Mrinalini Singh
Roses are not always red for painter Mrinalini Singh
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Constant moving and exposure to a variety of cultures have enabled her to absorb universal values.
But Mrinalini Singh, an army brat and diplomat's wife, still seeks more to nurture her spirit.
Through her paintings and sculptures, Mrinalini explores the beauty of flowers and brings out the meaning of visual beauty.
In her latest exhibition, titled Roses -- From Me To You, the third of its kind here, Mrinalini showcases her work on roses, already a legend in its own. Her roses come in lavish and gentle colors of blue, red, lavender, orange, yellow and even black.
"I have been painting flowers, not only roses, for the past 10 to 15 years. I have drawn them in a natural style. Flowers evoke my curiosity and creativity. Usually, I'll take a flower and see what's inside. I'll take off the petals, trying to reach its soul," said the wife of Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Hemnan Krishan Singh.
Mrinalini, whose name means "lotus" in Bengali Sanskrit, explains that it led her to do what she does today. "It's always remained with me," she added.
"The rose is the oldest flower and it is rich in myths and tales. It grows and blooms. It doesn't demand that much from us but offers something for us to enjoy. When it dies, it has completed its circle, and gives us something to remember," she said.
A student of Peruvian surrealist maestro Armendo Villegas, Mrinalini's art is symbolic of what she is.
Her paintings are honest, highlighting her careful strokes and her choice of soft, pastel colors. Some of her work tends to be simple but -- be that as it may -- her strong aesthetic touches make them worthy of appreciation.
Some, though, contain strong messages and a high-profile philosophy that goes beyond the beauty she tries to convey.
One such is entitled The tsunami's eyes, in which she places an immense blue rose and a smaller one at the center of the canvas. The roses are in the middle of a stream of strong currents and right below one of the roses, fruit scattered beneath the current represents the loss of life.
"It's about balance, telling us that we are not in control as human beings. We can control the world with politics and religion but nothing really matters against the power of nature. In a few minutes we become so fragile, the power and havoc you never expect before come in and make you stop thinking about whom you are and what you are because the only thing on your mind is survival."
"The eyes of a tsunami look down at us at the universe and tell us that we are nothing, lacking control of everything."
She said images from tsunami-hit areas brought home by television disturbed her a lot.
"I just sit and keep on thinking, 'why am I here? What am I doing? What have I done to others? What message I can share with others?'" the mother of two grown-up children said.
Part of the proceeds from the exhibition will also go for the benefit of children and women in Aceh and North Sumatra.
The Tsunami Eyes was finished on Dec. 31 when she had originally planned to sit with her loved ones counting down the minutes and ... celebrating her birthday.
Another painting, 9 September, Jakarta is also apparent in reflecting Mrinalini's restless and tender heart. It is about the Sept. 9 bombings at the Australian Embassy, South Jakarta, last year.
In 9 September, Jakarta her roses are placed in chaotic lines that divide the space into separate columns. Yellow and red paint are used to highlight the chaos.
Mrinalini takes a weekly class from one of the country's outstanding sculptors, Dolorosa Sinaga. "I enjoy it very much. It gives me something different," said Mrinalini. Her sculptures center around human gestures of fear, harmony, mourning and happiness.
This may explain why her roses and sculptures are so easily understood and enjoyed because she shows off her universality -- a common sense in her creativity.
Although she regards herself a global passenger and her home is wherever she may happen to be, Mrinalini said that she was proud of her origins.
"But I don't have to show it on my forehead or sign it on my art. I feel the universality in my development and I hope my art reflects that."
Roses -- From Me To You, a solo exhibition by Mrinalini Singh, runs from Jan. 17 through Jan. 25, at the Mezzanine Lobby, Hotel Gran Melia, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav. X , South Jakarta.