Claiming her space

As a part of the Women’s Day initiative 'Her Body, Her Space, Her City', jointly organised by Iconart Gallery in association with the US Consulate General, five women artists, Sweta Chandra, Archana Rajguru , Farzona Khan, Sonali Laha, Avani Rao Gandra created installations spread across five public spaces.

The sites cover a park, motor mechanic garages, Irani restaurant and a government office, all within a range of 1 km in Municipal ward no 73, enroute Rd No 1 Banjara Hills to Masab tank where women especially on their own, hesitate, or are not welcome - feel insecure or a disquiet within.

Artist Sweta Chandra has put her installation in Chacha Nehru Park, ‘Claiming Her Space’. She made a tunnel of thorns – and one has to wear a dupatta to walk through the tunnel. It is to make people understand how a woman feels when they have to walk through certain places. She is usually very stiff, careful with each step she is taking – this is the experience she tried creating through her installation.

She shares, “Today's women have come a long way in terms of education, profession and success. But have the do's and don’ts changed? Are the women on street safe? My installation brings in an experiential journey that a woman goes though in day to day life, travelling to her work place or any place outside her house.”

Artist Avani Rao Gandra installed her art in Maruti Motor Works garage, titled ‘Foot Across The Line’. She shared, “In my work, the twisted sword is symbolic of continuous strength; the vibrant hues of reds in an organic flow of texture showcases inherent strength of the female.

The sweet fragrance of the flowers is a celebration of womanhood. Placed in a garage strewn with rusted motor parts and masculine presence of man and machine - the idea of conquering, resisting patriarchal habits and behaviour, to overcome the body steadily getting used to not being free in personal and public spaces - that extra foot forward in all directions from all quarters is what is needed.

I wanted to bring feminine strength and power into male domination.” ‘Beneath the layers’ is the work of artist Archana Rajguru Biswas, who installed it in 555 Irani Restaurant. “For this project I am taking chair as a metaphor for woman.

Chair represents a temporary place for relaxation, and a must have for all the places. I have selected this piece of chair, because this one is neither an antique piece nor a sleek designer one. This one perfectly represents a prized possession of middle class house -hold.”

“I am putting lots of crochet flowers on the chair, full of colour, to show how normally people look at women. Underneath there is a layer of entangled threads and on the floor there nails all over. My chair is entangled with thread and crochet flowers on top, I am trying to bring two different entities to create a feeling of conflict, a kind of paradox, and an ambiguity when things are placed in an awkward place.

My nails represent the path SHE walks and the endured hurdles are all aspects of life till date. I am using lots of hand impressions, some of them faded out and some fresh, are all unheard voices which scream aloud to be heard.” She related. Artist Farzana Khanoon put her works at Motor Repair Lane, near Virinchi Hospital.

‘The Male Gaze’ installation is a poetic representation of uneasiness, anxiety and agitation a woman is subjected to. The objectification of woman is stressed upon by rendering a fragile Lotus into a hard as steel surface and the deep wounds that stay forever as reflections from red arrows of the male gaze.”

Artist Sonali Laha put her painting in Water and Sewerage Department office. She gave her painting, the title, ‘I am afraid of three dots’. She shares “My style of medium is drawing on cloth. It’s about what is visible and invisible, what happens in the transference of a thought to be seen and what keeps thought and ideas from remaining obscured.” ‘As a free soul and body we have liberty to live freely in this free world’ is the inherent message of her work of art.

What : Her Body, Her Space, Her City
When: Till March 15 between 10am and 7pm

By Heena Mishra