Their talent is in no way less or inferior to members of the opposite sex. But the women artists in Andhra Pradesh feel that they should help one another out to succeed in the world of fine art that is becoming increasingly competitive.
Girls are naturally artistic in India. Their talents are put to test everyday. Beginning with muggulu or rangoli, the womenfolk of Andhra Pradesh are well known for flower decoration, embroidery, fabric painting and several other folk-art forms, say members of the Andhra Pradesh Woman Artists Association.
The Association along with the Telugu World Artists’ Association is conducting a two-day workshop and painting competition exclusively for women. Artists from all over Andhra Pradesh have come to participate in the programme which is said to be the first of its kind.
The programme is being held at the Bapu Gallery at the Victory Jubilee Museum premises here.
Members of the artists’ associations hope that the programme in which over 30 women artists are participating will be the beginning of a movement.
A.P. Woman Artists’ Association secretary and sculptor G Radha says despite their artistic nature women are still bound by the “shackles of domestic responsibilities.” Women-folk are still chain
ed to kitchens and their family responsibilities and it takes up a lot of their energy and time.
Social oppression
Social oppression or suppression also impacts their art, says Ms. Radha. “Women are told to keep their emotions in control. This restraint invariably reflects in their art.”
Men to some extent are able to excel over women even in the art world because of the support they got from their spouses, women artists say.
Artist and owner of an art institute and gallery at Ongole, Rangulla Sandhya says it is not possible for women to become artists without the encouragement of either the parents or their husbands.
Ms. Sandhya opened an institution to teach painting a few years ago and created an art gallery last year with the support of her husband who is a businessman.
The few girl students she has are studying art to fulfil their passion and not for building a career, she says.
The younger generation of artists seems to be more confident than their predecessors. Yogi Vemana University of Fine Art final year student B Varalakshmi says she is going to be an artist come what may.
She was studying the art of Amrita Sher-Gil, a great woman artist and she too would be a well accomplished artist one day.
