Barooja, Blue Wall

Watercolor on Paper, 12 x 16 in.

From the Artist:

When I started to paint Blue Wall, I wanted to do three things:

1. Express the gender discrimination that I have faced.

   When I started my first job I was paid less than my male colleague. When I objected, I was told that He has to look after his family and you just want to spend on your luxuries! We both had the same designation however I was more qualified, I was paid less.

2. Depict my mother as a strong woman who survived the misogyny.

3. Show that women in general are trying to break the barriers and stereotypes.

I use the colour blue as the focus of my painting firstly because it is the colour that is most often associated with men and boys. With this painting I wanted to neutralize it, as there is no difference between men and women. If it is the colour of being stronger, then it definitely is the colour of women. Secondly, blue is the colour of harmony, faithfulness, confidence and sometimes sadness.

The lotus in the painting has a significant meaning. A lotus grows from mud. It emerges from the slimy pond, beautiful and whole and that is how I see my mother and many other women who have survived these social evils and setbacks because of occupation. Lotus also represents the personal transformation. It is a hope that something beautiful can blossom out of suffering. The brick wall denotes the social issues that I have already mentioned. The bird and the window are the symbols of longing for freedom and occupation.