Art Life Gallery, known for its endeavor to create awareness about contemporary art and most importantly, allowing a platform for budding artists to showcase their talent, had recently put up a group show of paintings titled “The Balm of Art”. The show focused on the role of women as healers in ancient times compared with their role in contemporary society. The exhibition was on view at Art Life Gallery, Noida in Uttar Pradesh. “It is not just in India, but around the world. While women worked as independent and honored healers in olden days, the current role of women as mothers, nurses and healthcare professionals, coincides with the reemergence of feminine values,” says Pratibha Agarwal, curator of the show, who is also the promoter of the gallery. She believes that women posses a strong tradition as healers, from ancient Danish shamans to doctors and nurses. However, through the years, women have been systematically marginalized as legitimate practitioners by their male counterparts. The view is shared by the participants of the group show: Shekhar Mukherjee, Sher Singh Kukkal, Bhaskar Singha, Pooja Pandey and Amrit Kapoor. Over the years, social setups have undergone a sea change in urban areas but the change has been comparatively slow in rural India. “While women’s rights and careers have come a long way, there are still some segments of Indian society where women in general are discriminated. Even as India is trying to address gender inequality through health, education and livelihood programs, there is a vast gap that needs to be filled," says Mukherjee, a Kolkata-based artist. Sher Singh Kukkal, an artist based in Noida, paints single women in his paintings, independent of her male counterpart and questions the discrimination of women in the Indian caste system. “Although the caste system is now officially illegal, in some places, it is still alive. The question is who would heal the women who are socially and mentally scarred? It is the other, better-placed women who have to bring them into the mainstream,” Kukkal says.Singha, an art-teacher by profession, brings out a different aspect affecting women in his paintings: dowry. He points out that it is the patriarchal mindset of society that forces women to take full responsibility of the household despite working outside of the house also. Sons are considered breadwinners who will look after their parents and continue the family name, whereas daughters are often considered a financial burden. These practices are pulling back women’s progress,” he says.Pandey, a young and budding artist, has a more contemporary perspective on women’s issues. There is no denying the fact that the healthcare system in many parts of the country lacks basic amenities. Pandey emphasizes on the need of a proper system in place for women in need. “While we worship women as mother goddess, India’s maternal mortality ratio is quite high compared with other countries. Even today, many Indian women die from pregnancy, childbirth and unsafe abortions. Wounded and broken, they need to be healed and of course, the safety of the girl child remains a burning issue,” adds Pandey. Follow @ARTINFOIndia
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