‘Remembering Tina Rimmer’ exhibition at Sabah Art Gallery
KOTA KINABALU: To celebrate the life and contributions of Sabah Cultural Icon, Tina Rimmer, to the local community, the Sabah Art Gallery (SAG) will be housing a Retrospective Exhibit from now till the end of the year.
The exhibit, Remembering Tina Rimmer, was launched yesterday in conjunction with what would have been her 100th birthday.
Arriving in Sabah as an education officer in 1949, Tina’s love for the State was proven not only through her perspective by visually documenting events and iconic ethnic communities, but also through her decision to remain here and give back to the people through art.
This rightfully earned her the title of Sabah Cultural Icon back in June, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, in his opening address prior to the launch of the exhibition.
“Tina had a deep understanding of and keen insight to the Sabahan community, even after retiring from her post as education officer.
“Her most prominent contribution was when she voluntarily drew and sketched over 500 pieces on patients in the Palliative Care Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to bring joy to them,” he said.
The speech was delivered by Sabah Cultural Board general manager William Baya.
The exhibit, which showcases over 200 of Tina’s works produced between 1948 and 2013, comprises pencil and pastel drawings, Chinese ink, watercolour and oil paintings.
Born Mary Christina Lewin, Tina had produced over 1,000 pieces in her lifetime and was also the first artist to have an exhibition at the SAG back in 1984.
A crucial aspect of Tina’s work was her intensive study of local people, animals, objects and their surroundings “from life”, as is most obvious in her paintings and drawings depicting tamu (local market) scenes in Tamparuli.
Tina was at her most prolific after retiring in the mid-eighties, making weekly trips to the Tamparuli tamu via a hanging bridge from her house.
She focused mainly on locals going about their run-of-the-mill routine, including scenes of local life based on her observations.
Adamant that artists should draw from life and never draw from photographs, Tina is fondly remembered as quoting, “See with your eyes and see with your heart”.