A Born Artist

Tara was a lovely guest, and although I feel like my experiences are so far from everything she has seen, done, and accomplished, this made it all the more interesting to hear her speak. From first impressions of her work in “The Open Window” and her interview, it was clear that Tara isn’t scared to play with shapes and colors, forming her inspiration from her experiences across the world, culture, and politics. I was somewhat surprised to hear that Tara knew since a very young age she wanted to be an artist, as it’s not often we are born with a gift and know immediately to use it. Her anecdote about seeing a glass of water and being fascinated by the colors and lines was a powerful moment and gave me insight into how she viewed the world through an artistic lens, even as a child.
When browsing “The Open Window,” I noticed how some pieces had straight-forward titles based on the visuals, such as “Cascade” or “Black Swirls.” However, some titles were more interpretive and metaphorical, like “Wonder Woman.” It was surprising to hear that naming isn’t a big important factor to Tara, and more of a secondary step and marker for her. I think she’s right, and that naming a painting bogs it down with what the artist wants you to take from it, whereas an untitled or straight-forward title allows everyone to draw their own conclusions.
Hearing about Tara’s experiences around the world was very striking, and makes me wish that I can one day experience all the different cultures and people like she did. It was understandable how her work is viewed differently around the world. For instance, in India, she is claimed as an Indian artist who travels abroad, and in Europe, her paintings are seen through a psychological lens, and in New York City, the art world has so many different strata that again the viewpoint on her art changes. I would’ve loved to hear more about her experience curating and creating art in New York City, especially in the ’90s. I don’t know a thing about artistry as a profession in New York, so I wonder at what point Tara’s work became recognizable or noticed by others, as well as her struggles.
As Tara often changes genres and styles with her “phases” of work, I’m excited to see what comes next for her, perhaps even with the lens of this election.