The Aravani art project, aims at organically bringing together people from the transgender community, the general public and local artists, to collaborate, paint public spaces and engage in other interventions.
The objective, is to use art as a medium to initiate and sustain conversations aimed at sensitising the society towards the challenges and discrimination faced by the community. These will enable us to create an awareness about the community and the social exclusion they are subjected to. At the completion of the art projects, the people from the community and the public will have an opportunity to interact and have conversations/ stories while they break myths and disembark stereotypes.
By using public art to facilitate conversations and sensitise the gathering, we create a platform for questions and aim to create spaces that make it possible for the people to be more socially conscious and sensitive to create an atmosphere for co-existence. By highlighting the human side of discrimination, the project aims to bring forth stories of courage, hope and change. The project after completion hopes to demystify the stigma that often the minorities are subject to.
After extensive researches we collaborate with the locally existing LGBTQIA+ organisations in different cities across the world, to maximise exposure and celebrate their contribution to the society. Since these cities are home to many people from the community, the need for awareness and public engagement is paramount. The wall chosen is community specific and in close proximity of the organisation. The location of the walls and the permissions required are finalised during the research phase, with guidance from the organisations and the local artists who collaborate on the project.
We strongly believe that art as a medium has the potential to become the ultimate expression of artistic democracy that enhances interaction at varied levels. The familiarity and the fluidity of this medium makes it possible to disseminate strong messages around various issues. Thus, we intend to use it as a medium to initiate conversations, aimed at addressing the negative perceptions, stereotypes, stigma, discrimination, marginalization and exclusion- the major challenges faced by the Transgender community.
Some of our ongoing projects have been supported by Aarogya Seva.
Visit website for more information www.aarogyaseva.org
