Empowered by Art

I am a daughter of India, who has had the privilege to travel the world. In my travels I was exposed to various cultures and their direct impact on their local artwork. Over a period of time I came to an avenue where I started to believe that my artwork shouldn’t just be appreciated as a pleasing sight but also a narrative. I wanted to send a message through my work which raises questions and thoughts to whoever comes across it. To empower the women in my country has been my muse lately. One thing I understood from the very beginning is that only when you are self-empowered can you empower. As far as I can remember I have been challenging patriarchy at every turn, and during this journey my art has been my companion always. It gives me strength, solace and most importantly a medium of expression which helps me voice my opinion. 

My art is a sheer reflection of my beliefs. Though woman empowerment is a global issue, but its only in my own country I got see it in close proximity. I got to witness this among friends and peers. I heard first hand instances where they all mentioned that their free will is threatened everyday. Hearing all this further solidified my resolve towards influencing my work which signifies strong women and send their message across.

I truly believe that everyone should have the right to their freedom and that goes the same for my paintings as well. I have never stuck only to a canvas and but spanned my horizons from a paper, to walls, to women bodies. My muse as my canvas.

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I resonate truly with my art while painting on women’s bodies, which represent their very own stories. I try to amplify their voices by embodying them with ancient symbols, tribal patterns and various other patterns shown to us by nature in its flora and fauna. The entire reason that I choose these specific set of patterns is to highlight the true beauty of these art forms. While the world runs behind fast fashion and technology, I would like to re-introduce the touch of sheer brilliance of these amazing art forms which have been part of us from generations. This indulgence into three-dimensional realm of live bodies is part of my exploration to go beyond the traditional canvas. 

I continue to do explore more different mediums to showcase my beliefs through my art as I truly believe that getting out of your comfort zone is where real growth lies. I will continue to paint on and about the powerful women I see around me, as in those paintings their true strength and resilience lives on.

Avantika Mathur