International Women's Day
Yesterday was International Women’s Day. Cue many text messages wishing me a happy day, and advertisements for beauty packages, discounted shopping and getaways.
As irritating as all of the above is, I was happy to be involved in two events that bore some relation to the day’s roots as in the struggle for equal rights for women in the workplace.
Focus Bookstore in north Bangalore held an event to discuss women’s labour and artisanship in India. I was able to share some of the work that Tara has done over the years to bring the work of female indigenous artists into the form of the book, as well as hearing about the work of others: Urvee train underprivileged women in the art of making paper products, while Vishakha Chanchani’s The Craft Studio operates as a potter’s cooperative.
Meanwhile in Chennai, Tara launched its new exhibition at Book Building: Floor to Book, Women’s Everyday Art Traditions. The exhibition traces forms of indigenous Indian art back to their roots as forms of household art largely rendered by women, as well as documenting how we have worked with women from various folk and tribal traditions over the last ten years. There was a lovely write up in Live Mint yesterday.
The Tara exhibition continues until July with a series of events, so do visit if you are in Chennai.