Nearly a decade ago, a group of transvoman depicted a mural in Bangalore’s stir KR market, starting his journey to talk about inclusive and equality through art. Today, their artifacts are displayed at their first single exhibition in Mumbai, which are celebrating identity and resistance.

Ongoing exhibition, On the eighth dayThe Aravani art project in Mumbai’s Gallery XXL shows the life and functions of about 13 transvomains from a transvomains from a transvomain. It celebrates the nine -year anniversary of the project work to challenge social stigma, discrimination and systematic inequality faced by the transgender community using public art.

Opening with a panel discussion, demonstration, walkthrough and painting workshop last month, the exhibition has made it to the sound of the transvoman. Poronima Sukumar, the founder of the Arwani Art Project, says, “We changed the attitude of the people through the exhibition, but wanted to eager people about the transgender community,” says Poronima Sukumar, the founder of the Aravani Art Project, which is now There are 35 members across India.

Of festivals and constellations

For artists and Sukumar, the idea was to include their relationship with lesser-known cultural aspects of the transgender community such as mythology. For example, in the planetarium chain, four paintings focus on the important mythology-based dates and festivals celebrated by the transgender community.

“People usually do not know about the various cultural differences present within the community. They often believe that the trans community, in general, follows only one belief, which is not true. There are different communities and they celebrate different festivals, “Says Sukumar, many of these trans-related festivals are disappearing, and there is a lack of visual documentation.

In this series, paintings have embroidery and acrylic on the canvas and portray four festivals that are relevant to the trans community and special constellations when they are. While the Bonalu festival is popular among the transgender communities in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, the Yalemma Festival is celebrated in Karnataka as well as in Telangana.

It also celebrates the nine -year anniversary of the project work towards challenging social stigma: Courtesy of Gallery XXL

Ideas and names for the Aravani art project also came from a festival, in particular, the 18-day Kovagam Festival in Tamil Nadu was celebrated by the transgender people of the region, ArvanisJoe was determined by Sukumar to document back in 2013. The title of the exhibition is depicted in the Mahabharata on the eighth day of Arvan’s sacrifice, the central deity of the Aravanis, the eighth day of the Kurkshatra Battle, in the Mahabharata. This sacrifice is remembered during the Kovagam Festival.

Dual standards

These festivals have become places where Trans-people suddenly become united with the rest of the society because they are celebrated as holy beings, says Sukumar. “The juices of the festival days and they pass through such a contrast in their daily life. They live in this duality where people either consider them gods or disrespect them, ”she tells them. It is this domenesis that the exhibition also reveals.

Other paintings in the exhibition include the clap chain, which refers to the clap, a signature style of communication mode for the transgender community, and the mirror chain, which celebrates love transvoman, is for themselves, despite the perceptions for themselves, for themselves, for themselves, for themselves, Society imposes them on them. “I have worked on three paintings and there is not a feeling to look at them in a gallery,” one of the 13 transvomains of the Aravani art project says Shawetha Tea, whose portraits are on performance. Sukumar says that one of the objectives of this exhibition was to help Trans women to experience gallery location.

This idea was to include lesser cultural aspects of the transgender community, such as their relationship with mythology. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Gallery XXL

Access to galleries

Restoring public places is not new to transvoman from Arvani art project, which have changed various public places, from walls to underpasses, in their canvas, in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. “The space is the one who is fighting for everyone. Not only the physical place but also in the society where they can express themselves and feel respect, ”says Sukumar. But for the transgender community, public places often come with a sense of discrimination, threats and danger of violence. Initially, when the transvoman was to travel to different parts of these cities to portray a mural, they would feel unwanted, telling Sukumar. “Over time, the transvoman has become more comfortable with moving around and being present in public places. Her love for art became a reason to get out of the house and learned to fight back if necessary, ”she says.

Other paintings in the exhibition include the clap chain. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Gallery XXL

Shwetha remembers when the school children look at them on the streets and call her names, which will retreat in a shell. Years later, when she went to a school to do artwork through the Aravani art project, she remembers how the children would address her as ‘mam’ and ask if she needs anything. “This is the honor we want. This made me very happy, “she says.

Now, through the exhibition, they have opened the door of another public place: art galleries. Although the location of art may be more inclusive when the project starts, such exhibitions such as beginning important conversations, say Sukumar. “There is still a lot of prejudice and classism in the world of art. But making a place in the world of art that is often seen as exclusive, the Aravanis brings the joy and color of inclusion with them, ”she says.

Exhibition, on the eighth day’s tail, is being held in Gallery XXL, Colaba, Mumbai till 22 February.,

Independent journalists specialize in gender, culture and social justice.