“Celebrating the Feminine” – women’s creativity on display

I am what you would call a reluctant artist. And so when Priya enthusiastically encouraged me to submit some work for a proposed women’s exhibition, I hemmed and hawed, made some half-convincing excuses and respectfully declined. 

It would seem that Priya found two reluctant artists, myself and Pala. Perhaps realizing that that she has more than one stubborn, creative friend, Priya did the only thing that made us both budge: propose that we collaborate. And so began one of the most beautiful collaborative artworks that I have undertaken in recent experience, which uses thin shells of plaster, Khaya bark and ceramics.

The exhibition marking International Women’s Day, Celebrating the Feminine at Kalakendra, Bharat Nivas, was put together in a similar spirit as my work with Priya and Pala – collaboratively, collectively with an inspired group of Auroville women. Initiated only some days before the exhibit was to open, its organization of 54 participating women artists was herculean. The couple of hundred individual artworks were hung only two days before the opening. The exhibition included paintings, drawings, collage, mixed media, photography and printing, ceramics and pottery, film and installation, kolams, flowers, fabric, dance, food and more.

In fact, I would say that the way the exhibition came together was as much a celebration of women’s strength as the showing of women’s artworks. There were contributing artists and there were organizers and curators; but there was also a seamless flow of one to the other, and a distinct coming-to-form of the show from the collaborative instinct of the many. Priya, Pala and I named our piece Call and Response, yet the title could be said to represent the curatorial collaboration of the whole exhibition: many voices and hands overlapping.

When was the last time that Auroville organized an exhibition of Aurovilian women’s work? Has this ever happened before? If it has ever happened, I can’t recollect it. Perhaps this is why so many Auroville women unexpectedly emerged to participate in this unusual endeavor. 

Perhaps – and I lean heavily towards this thinking –women in Auroville love the experience of cooperation with women, particularly where the inner creative and spiritual aspiration of each is expressed. International Women’s Day: a day to celebrate women collectively reaching towards the divine, each in her own way. How lucky we are in Auroville! How blessed to have a society of such strong and sensitive women! And how important for us to remind ourselves of this – to never take it for granted. 

The work of the individual women came together in this exhibition like a show of women’s hands raised together, women’s collective aspiration towards the divine. How beautiful it has been to witness this. I am thankful that this wonderful group of Auroville women helped me to overcome my reluctance.