Digital art resonates with social, gender issues

A young girl, divested of clothes, lying next to her mother whose wrinkled face and sad eyes describe the hardships they are going through as a family.

A panel of lingerie, a couple of men in their innerwear, bear testimony to the numerous times this young girl has been exploited. Titled ‘Geisha’, this frame brings alive the sufferings of women – a universal concept that establishes how world has become immune to gender issues.

Santosh Jain’s digital art captures suffering and pain with hope as the underlying metaphor. In Japan, Geishas traditionally are female entertainers who have a history of being exploited sexually down the ages.

“But that’s a global menace. Be it India, Thailand or America, women are made to suffer everywhere,” said Jain, who is hosting her solo exhibition ‘Amor Fati’, meaning ‘love of one’s fate’ at Gallery Pioneer, Lado Sarai.

‘Choices’, ‘Dream Catcher’ and ‘Chai Boy’ are artworks showing urban strugglers and survivors and also the sensitive side of the artist. “My artwork ‘Chai Boy’ shows a boy standing in front of his tea stall which got burnt in a mishap. And seeing him I automatically started thinking about Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India) who once worked as a chai boy and how, despite coming from such a background, he has risen to be the PM of India. So, this picture reflects hope,” said Jain.

New media art is all about the new – from new cultural forms, new technologies,
new twists on social and political issues. It is the art of our times, which is current and relevant.

Jain started off as a printmaker, then took to painting and continued this journey in search for the most eloquent means of self-expression. Her current exhibition of digital works captures evocatively everyday life, the mundane and the routine, including suffering and loss, in a positive light.

“I’ve always been exploring and experimenting with different art forms. With the camera and digital art, I feel I have finally found a language through which I can converse with people. I feel through this medium I am now able to express what I feel inside with ease,” said the artist.

‘Amor Fati’ curated by Niyatee Shindee, an art curator and photo historian at Gallery Pioneer, F 213 C, 1st Floor, Lado Sarai will be on till September 20 from 11 am till 7 pm.