Vivel #AbSamjhautaNahin is proud to present #VoiceOfArt. A month-long initiative launched in August to pay homage to Women’s Equality, the campaign aims at giving artists across India a platform to share their unadulterated opinions on empowerment through the year.
The Alipore Post collaborated with Vivel and invited 10 artists to create artworks on Equality:
Together we can by Anuradha Bhaumick “Through this piece, I aim to highlight how sisterhood is underrated. If all womxn supported each other, outgrew the years of conditioning of being pitted against each other as if we were participating in a beauty pageant through all serious scenarios of life, and actually invested our time in uplifting each other, equality would be a thing of the present.
Our collective efforts to highlight and help fix economical, political, cultural and social injustices will help build a better tomorrow. A tomorrow which is just, equal and positive for every gender, not oppressive to one and convenient for the other. Us womxn are strong as hell, it's about damn time we realise the strength in our unity. #AbSamjhautaNahin should be the mantra for the new world.”
-Anuradha Bhaumick
Lift by Siddharth Bhatia
“The piece is inspired by women lifting women up from the suffocating and toxic gender roles and stereotypes that try to hold women back so much. Women support each other so selflessly and create an amazing support system for each other in the face of adversity and a bigoted system. Their solidarity and tenacity is very inspiring.” -Siddharth Bhatia
Tiger Goddess by Nori Norbhu
“I have been raised by powerful women. Women who represent motherly protective love while being powerful, independent and determined. Roles that were stereotypically defined for men were effortlessly taken up by the women in my life. Growing up with that love and determination makes the next generation of women even more independent and powerful. A cycle that will inspire women to be anything they want to be.”
-Nori Norbhu
“Prejudiced minds and blurry sights
Cannot see beyond the pinks
Beneath the shallow perceptions
Are buried the colourful dreams
Ripping the stereotypical game,
You see, they are not all the same
Through this illustration, I’m showing how society stereotypes women versus what women really are, beneath the surface. When I think of women’s equality, I’m envisioning a woman tearing the sterotype perception of the society. Every woman has her own identity, and this artwork celebrates their strength and diversity.”
-Vinay Pittampally
Being Atmanirbhar by Aakansha Menon
"Who said women can't do things alone? Women are capable of doing anything, and the push from within can make us do wonders!
This illustration is a reminder to every working woman, no matter what stage of your career, that you are an independent woman in-progress and are doing a great job trying to strike work-life balance and be the badass professional that you are!" -Aakansha Menon
Undoing gender by Harmeet Rahal
“This is a relatively lighthearted take on the theme of 'undoing the concept of gender', playing with the idea of gender as a performance, where it looks like we're literally 'undoing' the idea of gender in an MS Paint window.
I like the idea of masculinity/femininity as a form of creative expression, where you can pick and choose aspects that suit you rather than being forced to define yourself by them.”
-Harmeet Rahal
Power Ride by Santanu Hazarika
“Tattoos and bikes are not meant for girls” this illustration depicts the essence of breaking this primitive gender bias against women. Growing up in an Indian society,I have seen that motorcycles and tattoos have always been associated with masculinity and machoism where as “flowers” and the colour “pink” is considered feminine, so in this artwork I have incorporated both of the preconceived notions and created a liberated female form which breaks this gender bias.”
-Santanu Hazarika
Why fit in? by Maanvi Kapur
“Women have been told for so long how they should look, or that they should behave a certain way, or even how they should adjust to fit in. The idea for this artwork is rooted in throwing out this rigid thinking, and celebrating the uniqueness of all women, irrespective of who they are or what they look like. This visual of these women being together in a park, comfortable in their own skin, is a symbol of inclusivity without conditions.
Equal opportunity shines through when narrow-minded notions of society are broken down, when how you look or what you wear does not define who you are and what you can become.”
-Maanvi Kapur
The Future is Equal by Pearl D'souza
"Indian women are strong, fierce, compassionate and capable. However there is a tendency to settle, to compromise and to adjust for the sake of others. It is what has been expected of us for years by family, by society. We compromise on an education for marriage, compromise on a dream job to take care of children, compromise on independence because ‘log kya kahenge’.
But no more. No more will we be sidelined based purely on our gender. The future is EQUAL. The future is bright. It's time we reach not only reach for the stars, but reach for the biggest, wildest, brightest star and make that dream come true little by little. Kyunki #absamjhautanahi."
-Pearl D'souza
Let toys be toys by Shawn D'Souza
“The stereotypes we see in toy marketing connect with the inequalities we see in adult life.
We teach children the rules, the very same rules that have limited many of us, and constrained our dreams. Let’s not constrain our children in the same way. Let’s free them to be the people they will be, rather than walking stereotypes. Let’s change the rules”
-Shawn D’Souza
If you're a brand/organisation and wish to collaborate with me on similar campaigns and projects, please write in to thealiporepost@gmail.com :)