Painting a new world of justice

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A woman makes her way through a desert wearing an oxygen mask by Giriraj Singh

She stands in a coffin with her eyes closed, yet you can hear her screaming in pain as she points out to the tools that had been used to mercilessly tear apart her stomach. This sculpture by Somesh Singh at the on-going exhibition “Say No to Violence” is an attempt to give voice to the agonised body of the woman.

“Her pain pierces the heart but can it shake us out of our apathy?” asks Somesh. He is one of several artists who have expressed their anguish and demand for justice and empowerment for women through their artworks following Nirbhaya rape case.
Now, V-11 group of artists present an exhibition of paintings and sculptures organised by United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan.
“This is an extraordinary effort by five artists — Giriraj Singh, Jyoti Singh, Somesh Singh, Sajal Patra and Seema Pandey — to raise their collective artistic voices on violence against women. The exhibition says no to violence against women since we still hope that we will be able to provide a better and safer world to women,” says Rajiv Chandran, National Information Officer, UNIC.
As the five artists get together to highlight their concern for women’s safety and security, Giriraj says he is saddened to see that there is no secure place for women in our country. “They can’t move nor mingle with other people freely; in certain parts of India, women are still hiding behind veils and have many restrictions and boundaries,” says Giriraj. His work shows a woman wearing an oxygen mask because of the injustices and scrutinies she is subjected to suffocate her.
Two artworks by young artist Jyoti is her take on woman, who according to her, is a providence of this beautiful world. “Her amalgamation with nature holds attraction with her own strength and serenity,” she says. Artist and curator of the show Seema says that through this exhibition she wants to say that this place is hers as well and she is going to do whatever it takes to reclaim her rightful space. “It angers me that even today we are talking about gender equality. I am angry at the struggle I have to face whenever I want to be myself. Participating in this exhibition is one of my attempts to fight for my space in this society,” she says.
In celebration of Women’s Month the exhibition will be on till March 31 at lobby of UN House, UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan.