‘The Resilience of Poppies’ – Inda Binda – bidding is at $400

‘The best thing about where I live now in Riyadh is the kindness and generosity of its people,’ Inda says warmly.

‘Back at home in Meanjin/Brisbane, I most appreciate  the outdoors – our forest reserves, the beaches on the coast just a couple hours’ drive away – the magical garden we are so blessed to have at home.’

Inda came to writing and illustration later in life. She had always dreamt of pursuing art in some form, however the omnipresent belief that art and science were not compatible, kept her from realising these dreams.

‘I love that I now have new ways to express myself and to convey messages or emotions, and its impact is immediate. I’m still growing as an artist, but I’m very glad I started!’

Fortunately, as a proudly self-proclaimed nerd, Inda also had a keen passion for science, so, her initial career choices were equally as fulfilling and only serve to strengthen her stories with a unique perspective.

In her book,  ‘How To Measure The Ocean’ Inda introduces the subject of metrology in a fun and engaging way, by considering how one would measure the ocean. Her books often aim to spark curiosity in this simple but effective way.

Inda uses the likenesses of her three children to represent the inquisitive readers visiting the beach. She is able to illustrate the oceans vast depths with reference to the many different sea dwelling animals and hint at geometry through the curvature of shells. Basing the characters on her real children through little details helps bring out individual quirks and personality. Additionally, Inda used to be an avid scuba diver, so, she is able to render beautifully ornate underwater scenes, showcasing the splendour of the biome.

This book also has a deeper message about the interconnectedness of life hidden within the bold blue words…

‘We lived in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, but made frequent trips to my grandparents’ home in the rural areas or ‘kampung,’ When I was younger.

‘I really loved the hot, humid weather (not such a fan of it now!), the unbelievable nature and of course, the food!’ she said.

‘We are very lucky in Malaysia to have all the conveniences in the cities but also plenty of chances to escape to beautiful islands, tropical rainforests and places where the pace is a little slower.’

Once her first child arrived, Inda’s world seemed to open up and the strict lines between science and art began to fade and blur. She says:

‘The most beautiful thing I have ever seen is the smiles on the faces of my children’

Inda began to see the world through her children’s curious and innocent eyes. She felt refreshed and inspired to finally start investing time into an artistic career. She built up the courage to attend a workshop at her local library titled ‘how to write a picture book’ and never looked back.

She craved to give her children stories that could illuminate the hidden depths of the world around them, and promote discovery. During a trip to Malaysia to visit family, Inda decided she would write a book for her daughter celebrating their Malaysian heritage, this later turned into her second book ‘Night Lights’ illustrated by Lesley McGee.

Another nod to her family life, is the wonderful ‘The Month Makes the year’, a sweet picture book that explores Ramadan through the eyes of a child.

Like all of the kite artists, Inda is an admirable hardworking and highly motivated individual, and when she sets her mind to something it is hard to imagine her not achieving it. Since releasing her first book ‘Salih,’ illustrated by Anne Ryan, and co-incidentally launched by Isobelle Carmody in Brisbane, Inda has been a part of creating, if not sole creator, of six books – all whilst working as a part-time surgeon!

Inda is also heavily involved in activism and art activism, which naturally infuses her kite design: ‘The genocide in Gaza and the ongoing occupation of Palestine is forefront in my heart and mind, and has been for over a year,’ she said.

‘This kite – like many of my other works of art and writing – is inspired by the resilience of the Palestinian people, who have opened our eyes to a world that tries to put power and profit over people and planet. I’ve chosen to decorate my kite with poppies, a symbol of resilience and sacrifice, and the beautiful sunbird which is the national bird of Palestine,’ Inda said.

This theme was already present in her first book, Salih, where the main character had been forced to escape his war-ravaged home, and must now carry his whole world on his back, like a turtle.

Inda is driven by overwhelming compassion for those in similar conditions and hopes to promote kindness and peace through her work. Currently her book projects sit on the back burner, as she is now part of several efforts to support families in Gaza and Palestine.

‘I’m one of the co-founders of Coffees For Gaza, a collective working together to raise funds for families in Gaza. We’ve also just launched pre-orders for “Tabkha” – a book of Palestinian recipes written by Mona Zahed, mum of 4 from one of the families we’re supporting, from the tent where they have been displaced. The recipes are illustrated by 20 of us from the group, in different artistic styles. The book is available to order worldwide at http://www.coffeesforgaza.com. We are so incredibly hopeful that it will touch the hearts of many readers and that Mona’s recipes, that were rescued from under the rubble, can be revived in warm kitchens all over the world!

Inda’s love for the arts community is expansive, and so she also runs an online book club called ‘Stretch Your Shelf’. Everyone is welcome to join! All through November they are dedicating their reading to Palestinian writers. These politically charged situations in which the human element is obscured, often invokes in us a sense of powerlessness, but Inda believes we can reclaim our power through the precious resource of our communities.

‘Many of the acts of solidarity I’ve seen happen over the past year are featured in my upcoming picture book to be released mid-2025. “Our Voices, Together,” written by me, illustrated by Syd Fini, and published by Hardie Grant. The story tells of a military assault on Gaza nearly three years ago, one of many attacks on a besieged civilian population over the past decades.

‘It is a young person’s anthem of solidarity for children in war zones, and talks about how the community can act to speak up against injustice. You can speak up in the form of the written word in a book or on a held-up sign, or through art on walls or kites, it can be in the form of protests or songs, petitions and marches, all striving for a change that would see children protected and free.’

‘To me, this is hope.’