Invitation

Acrylic on canvas, 16” X 24”

Comments from Viewers, in response to the VTS question "what is going on the image"

Abeer Mathur>> A lady in d whirlwind of troubles..trying to balance herself! February 25, 2011 at 10:31pm

Pooja Rungta>>hi didi... the background immerdiately creates sme kind of a spinning effect about which i m not sure wat it indicates, bt the figure to me appears to a person dancing in ecstasy... i m not sure if, on contrary, it is a figure slipping dwn n trying to balance ( luking at the fading left toe and the left elbow touching a circular surface which it possibly cant hold)... surely wud like to knw ur own interpretation ... February 26, 2011 at 4:26am ·

Pooja Rungta>> on second thots, if the background had more vibrant colors, i wud hv definitely related it to that of ecstacy in all kinds situations. February 26, 2011 at 6:22am

Sujata Tibrewala>>I am glad you guys are already answering not only what you see, but also what in the image makes you say that? @Abeer you see a lady in whirlwind trying to balane herself, @Pooja you see her slipping down. Just the figure and her pose would have interpreted her to be in esctacy, but the spinning background and her fading toe and elbows makes you feel more negative... February 26, 2011 at 6:55am ·

Sujata Tibrewala >>I am glad you guys could look beyond the only implication nudity (not so apparent here) creates these days.. I would like to see some more opinions before I share what made me create this, Neetu, Girish, Jenny, Sumeeta, Sangeetha, Deepthi, Goutom, any new comments..? February 26, 2011 at 6:58am

Trupti Godbole>>the background reminds me of the ocean. the lady seems to be shedding her existing exterior to have a dip in the ocean of beauty that is beyond external looks... February 26, 2011 at 7:06am

Sujata Tibrewala >> ý@Trupti, I knew I had left out someone :(.. But you do not need an invitation to comment right ;). The curved line of the background reminds you of an ocean and she seems to be taking a dip to get inner beauty... Interesting!! February 26, 2011 at 7:10am.

Neeraj Goenka>>This portrait depicts imagination of a lady, being fearless, feeling depthness of her love as deep as ocean, livelihood as vivid colours. She has lost herself in this entire universe only for her love... February 26, 2011 at 12:49pm.Sujata Tibrewala ý@Neeraj, nice comparisions..You see the fearless imagination, and deapth of her feelings in the painting. You feel she is lost in this universe to find her true love.. Did I get that right? February 26, 2011 at 10:52pm.

Neeraj Goenka >>yea, seems to be.. February 27, 2011 at 3:35am.

Sujata Tibrewala>> thanks Patty for linking this discussion... February 28, 2011 at 10:01am.

Sujata Tibrewala>> well looks like no other opinions, so let me round up what was discussed, a lady in whirlwind of troubles, a lady slpping into whirlwind of troubles, a lady trying to cleanse herself in an ocean for inner beauty, and a lady who has lost herself in the universe feeling love as deep as ocean.. Thanks everyone for this enriching discussion and as always this does not conclude it. You can always come with your own ineterpretation anytime February 28, 2011 at 10:05am.

Sujata Tibrewala>>to answer the question on why I made this. I was researching to make a painting (which i will share next) and while doing the reserach this image came to me. But this time was unique since I knew what it meant to me unlike the other times, when I do not. I think I saw a lady trying to free herself from her "gender"... February 28, 2011 at 10:07am.

Sangeetha Pradeep>> Women balancing in the whirlpool of life.... depicted by the ocean around her... this is the thought that came to my mind...sorry i missed out the discussions since i was not regular on FB past few days.. :( March 1, 2011 at 10:22pm

Sujata Tibrewala>> hi sangeetha, thanks for your comment.. In fact I was missing your presence ;) ..anyway so you see her balancing in a whirpool of life ..great, anything else troubles..trying to balance herself! February 26 at 9:01am · Like · 2 people

Sujata Tibrewala >> well looks like no other opinions, so let me round up what was discussed, a lady in whirlwind of troubles, a lady slpping into whirlwind of troubles, a lady trying to cleanse herself in an ocean for inner beauty, and a lady who has lost herself in the universe feeling love as deep as ocean.. Thanks everyone for this enriching discussion and as always this does not conclude it. You can always come with your own ineterpretation anytime February 28 at 8:35pm · Like

Sujata Tibrewala >> to answer the question on why I made this. I was researching to make a painting (which i will share next) and while doing the reserach this image came to me. But this time was unique since I knew what it meant to me unlike the other times, when I do not. I think I saw a lady trying to free herself from her "gender"... February 28 at 8:37pm · Like

Sangeetha Pradeep >> Women balancing in the whirlpool of life.... depicted by the ocean around her... this is the thought that came to my mind...sorry i missed out the discussions since i was not regular on FB past few days.. :( March 2 at 8:52am · Like · 1 person

Sujata Tibrewala >> he sangeetha, thanks for your comment.. In fact I was missing your presence ;) ..anyway so you see her balancing in a whirpool of life ..great, anything else? March 3 at 7:27am · Like

What Sujata had in mind when she painted

Are women born weak? Do they have function in the society beyond giving birth and nurturing? Was there always a time when women were dependant on men on existence? What is a parent? What is a child? Is a male child different from female child? Do they have different rights and responsibilities?

These questions are simple and complex at the same time. But the irony is that these are the questions which form the foundation of the most basic unit of the society:

"Family"

The problem becomes more acute because if anyone tries to raise these questions, they are quickly branded as people who want to destroy the family, but families are made of individuals and unless each and every individual feel happy and valued, the family can never be happy.

I found that the biggest impediment in achieving this goal is that women either behave as sacrificial lambs at the altar of family or behave in a completely rebellious way to conform to their view of equality. This is either because they do not think they deserve what they want or because they know they have no other option. Behind both these traits is their deep rooted inferiority complex, or

a sense of being born in the wrong sex.

I found very few enlightened women who knew who they were, and also their places in the world they chose to live in, and be happy about it, and also are successful in making other feel happy and positive about them too.

So that set me on a journey to find out the roots of this inferiority the women had within themselves.

Were things always like this? Was there a "man the hunter" , goddesses, amazons, witches, priestesses, women scholars & warriors, queens? Was the way sexes were treated had to do anything with the way religions rose on the world stage? What influenced the fabric of the society? What were the women who did make it into history like, and how were those who did not.

I was surprised, the places this exploration took me to. The images you see in this exhibition stem from my research on the subject. I was expecting to find answers in the journey, but I have found more questions, then answers.

If these questions make you think and can save even one unborn girl, or save a woman from becoming stranger to her own relatives, or give some woman courage to get her due, I will be happy.