BHU exhibition revisits six pioneering women through Indian folk art
An exhibition revisiting the lives and contributions of six pioneering Indian women through Indian folk art opened at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi on September 28.
Titled Trailblazing Women of India, the exhibition is organised by Shuruart, a Banaras-based social enterprise that works to support emerging artists, particularly those from smaller cities, and promote sustainable artistic careers. Held at the Malaviya Moolya Anusheelan Kendra (MMAK), BHU, the exhibition will remain open until October 9, from 11 am to 4 pm.
Artworks inspired by six pioneering women on display at BHU.
The exhibition features artworks inspired by Annie Besant, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Pandita Ramabai Saraswati, Mahadevi Verma, Dakshayani Velayudhan and Cornelia Sorabji — six women whose lives and contributions span different areas of India’s social, cultural, educational and public history.
The project draws on a six-part video series of the same name by social scientist Dr Priyanka Jha, published on The AIDEM channel, with The AIDEM serving as the official media partner.
Dr. Priyanka Jha, Social Scientist, BHU
From research to visual storytelling
The exhibition is the outcome of a project that began in June, when around 40 artists applied to participate. Over the following three months, the selected artists studied Dr Jha’s video series and undertook independent reading and research on the six women.
The research was followed by an artistic process in which the participants developed their own layouts and approaches to representing the historical figures. Their work received feedback from senior artist Mridula Sinha, former Head of the Department, Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU.
Mridula Sinha, former HOD of the Visual Arts Department, BHU.
Artists associated with BHU, the University of Allahabad and Patna University participated in the project. Most of the artworks have been created in acrylic on canvas, while some incorporate Indian folk-art traditions including Gond, Madhubani, Phad and Warli.
The artists were encouraged to move beyond conventional biographical portraits and explore different ways of representing the lives, contributions and historical contexts of the women.
Visitors learning about the artworks at the exhibition.
An exhibition rooted in history and public memory
At its core, Trailblazing Women of India seeks to bring historical figures into a contemporary visual space and encourage audiences to engage with their stories beyond conventional representations.
The six women featured in the exhibition came from different backgrounds and contributed to different spheres of Indian public life. By bringing them together, the exhibition creates a broader conversation around women’s contributions to India’s social, cultural, educational and historical development.
The organisers have sought to move beyond the idea of a straightforward biographical portrait. Instead, the artists were encouraged to interpret the women through their work, ideas and historical circumstances, allowing the artworks to function as visual narratives.
Sana Sabah, CEO of Shuruart, emphasised the importance of research in developing an artwork. According to her, research enables an artist to develop a stronger story, while painting can become a medium through which that story is communicated.
She also pointed to the gap between the documentation of women’s contributions and their visibility outside academic or specialist circles. The project, she said, seeks to use art as a way of bringing these stories to a wider public.
The exhibition thus places historical research alongside artistic interpretation, inviting viewers to look beyond a name or portrait and engage with the larger stories associated with each woman.
Inauguration at BHU
The exhibition was inaugurated at the Malaviya Moolya Anusheelan Kendra, with Dr Sutapa Das, coordinator at MMAK, hosting the event.
The Trailblazing Women of India exhibition inauguration ceremony at the Malaviya Moolya Anusheelan Kendra at BHU on September 28.
Professor Mangala Kapoor attended as the chief guest. She was awarded the Padma Shri this year and is known for teaching music to children free of cost.
The inauguration also placed the exhibition’s six women within a wider historical context. Dr Prashant Kumar spoke about women inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and their participation in the freedom movement, connecting their individual stories to broader currents in India’s history.
Participating artists Kavita, Annapurna Shivhare and Priti Raj were felicitated during the event. Avni delivered the vote of thanks.
Participating artists getting felicitated during the inauguration of the exhibition.
Taking the exhibition beyond Varanasi
The organisers intend for Trailblazing Women of India to travel beyond the BHU campus and reach audiences in other parts of the country.
From BHU to the country: The Trailblazing Women of India exhibition begins its journey.
Following the Varanasi exhibition, it is scheduled to travel to Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels in Civil Lines, Prayagraj. The exhibition will then move to Bapu Tower in Patna, followed by Bharat Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, before concluding at the India International Centre (IIC) in New Delhi.
The travelling format is intended to take the artworks and the stories behind them beyond the university setting, allowing audiences in different cities to encounter the six women’s histories through the artists’ interpretations.
Through its combination of historical research, artistic interpretation and Indian folk-art traditions, Trailblazing Women of India seeks to make the stories of six pioneering women accessible through a medium that extends beyond conventional academic narratives.
