Against a bright yellow background and enclosed within a blue circle, two hands come together in that signature clap—palms meeting perpendicular to each other with fingers spread out; you can hear the sound reverberating through the room. It’s the signature of a community, an index of identity, a protest against norms, if you will. Nearby, Prathi-Bimba (One’s Own Reflection) depicts a bold turquoise wall framing a fuchsia-pink mirror in which you see a trans woman applying lipstick, a simple act but utterly empowering. “These paintings—based on real photos— reflect the way they see themselves and perhaps how they wish to be seen by the world,” says Poornima Sukumar, founder of Aravani Art Project, an artist collective led by transwomen and cis women. The name is derived from Lord Aravan, the patron god for transgender communities.
On the Cusp of the Eighth Day is Aravani’s first solo exhibition that opened at Mumbai’s Gallery XXL recently to coincide with Mumbai Gallery Weekend and Mumbai Pride Month. The exhibition presents canvases, photographs, testimonies, and narratives that work towards subverting systematic discrimination. It features a mix of media, including wall murals, acrylic, thread work, and photographs on archival paper. The title of the exhibition is inspired by the story of Aravan’s sacrifice on the eighth day of the 18-day Kuruskshetra war
There is the diptych Dismissed and Disobedient where steely eyes gaze back at you defiantly confronting societal rejection, while Chandri Loves to Dance depicts the green sari-clad protagonist twirling around with gay abandon. “Dance is really close to the transgender community’s heart. The femininity and fluidity comes to them naturally because they explore their body language from a very young age through dance,” adds Sukumar. Beginning informally with members of the transgender community of Bengaluru, the collective has expanded its activities to multiple cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Last year, the 60th Venice Biennale commissioned the Aravani Art Project to paint a mural at Arsenale.
Another highlight of the show is the photography series Portraits of Home created in collaboration with Steevez, a Chennai-based visual artist and curator. These intimate portraits capture trans women in the comfort of their own homes, providing a rare glimpse into spaces that embody their individuality, resilience and belonging. “This is an ongoing series and we click photos wherever we can and whenever they trust us enough,” says Sukumar. The striking portrait photographs provide a counter-narrative to the widespread discrimination that denies the trans community equal living rights. The resilience of the transgender community shines through the exhibition’s narrative, its visual stories advocating for rights, co-existence and empowerment.