The opening of an art exhibition in Ahmedabad usually incorporates a round of speeches by ‘dignitaries’. This can be a tad tedious for those who have just come to see the art, but it does serve to provide a structure to the event and an ice breaker for the socialising that follows.
The opening of Woman and the World, Shujaat Mirza’s show at the Jodhpur Art Gallery followed the same format, but with a twist at the end. After the usual round of speeches by an array of male dignitaries, the mike was finally handed to Shujaat’s friend Prachi Maya Gajanan. But much to the surprise of the crowd Prachi did not give a speech. Instead, she sang a soulful ghazal, with harmonies provided by her phone. It was mesmerizing.
Prachi’s performance was an apt way to inaugurate Shujaat’s woman-centric exhibition. The 39-year-old is the son of Late Aneesa Mirza, who was mayor of Ahmedabad from 2003 till 2005, and this is his very first solo show in the city. Two years in the making, the collection features drawings in ink and charcoal on paper as well as acrylic on canvas paintings. They present the world through a ‘female gaze.’ What exactly does that mean?
“The female gaze is inclusive and accepting,” says Shujeet. “In a patriarchal world, men see everything in black and white. But a woman’s view is more accommodating. When I was creating these paintings, I thought of the strong women I have known, including my mother. I was also inspired by historical figures like Jahanara, Razia Sultan, Draupadi.”
Shujeet dabbled briefly in politics in his early years, but he later gravitated to the art world. He has curated several exhibitions, including a retrospective of Natu Parikh and Iraqi artist Ismaayl Fattah. He is also a poet, which partly explains the descriptions that accompany each of his paintings. “I’m going through an art phase right now, but soon I’ll get back to writing poetry,” he says.
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