The Taliban Church - An Acrylic Painting By John Chinn

Name Tutor Course Date The Taliban Church There is no stronger way to connect to, and feel a piece of art than viewing it physically. One gets to feel its power first hand. The electrifying effect that is transmitted between the viewer and a piece of art can only be experienced in its entirety through one-on-one interaction. This is the kind of power that walking into the museum and experiencing the Taliban Church personally transferred to me. The Taliban Church is an acrylic painting on board by John Chinn. Chinn is an American artist who graduated from Texas Tech University in 1976 with a BFA in Art. He returned to teach drawing at the College of Architecture in the same institution in 1990 until his retirement in 2017. The contrast in the piece can be seen right from the title, Taliban Church. The Taliban is an Islamic extremist group that has reigned terror over the people of Afghanistan and other parts of the world through strict sharia laws, kidnappings, murders, and violence. On the other hand, though a church can be used as a common name for various places of worship, it mainly means a place used by Christians for worship and other activities. It is a place that Christians go to experience calm, peace, and hope. Through just the title, the author places Christianity and Islam, violence and calm, side by side. The church looks empty and deserted with both the front and back door open. The symmetry of the doors gives the viewer a peep of a dawning morning on the horizon. The roof of the church bears a darker tone than the body. The roof/dome rises towards a star...