Canvas Re Strung

Etienne Coutinho's training as an artist includes a foundational course at Sir JJ School of Fine Art, a four year course at the Sir JJ Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai; a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Mumbai.

A Post Graduate Diploma in Radio, Film and Television from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, resulted in employment as a commercial graphic designer, art director, film and theatre director, winning awards for advertising, audio visuals and documentaries. After a successful career in theatre and film, Etienne returns to his first love: painting.

For me, art is a creative impulse, a compulsion as real as the need for food and drink. I have always identified this innate drive with my spirituality, a force that compels me to celebrate God and my encounters with him. This perspective is the prism through which I view the world and all other relationships.

The present collection of paintings arose from the insight that the canvas was much more than a painted surface. By cutting, burning, and reshaping it became an active element in my work. An accident that shattered my left shoulder was an additional catalyst. The Orthopedic surgeon strung my bones together with wire, the inspiration for the steel cables that link the pieces of canvas.