JOIN USThere are quite a few stories behind the colourful paintings and murals that have adorned our streets ever since the ‘St+art Festival’, supported by Asian Paints, hit the town. One of them is that of Poornima Sukumar’s, who decided to engage with the issues of transgenders.
She has painted a gigantic face which represents both a man and a woman, accompanied by the text ‘Naavu Iddeve’ — we exist.
Poornima has done several community art projects across the city and her ‘Aravani Art Project’ is going places. She talks to Rajitha Menon about her fascination for art and the transgender community.
What got you interested in art in the first place?
As funny as it sounds, it was by accident that I chose art as a subject to study. When I was in class 10, I decided that I didn’t want to study further. But I stumbled upon Chitrakala Parishath and ended up joining it without any idea about what I was going to do with my life. I kept exploring the field for the first two years and then specialised in painting from the third year.
What made you pick walls for a canvas?
Even in college, I liked painting on larger surfaces. I have always been inclined to that because I feel that gives me more space to express myself. I would end up sticking humongous brown sheets on walls and painting on these. It was an experiment by trial and error. My first ever public street art project was in 2012; ‘The Neighbourhood Art Festival’ by Kitsch Mandi.
How did you conceive the idea for your work for the ‘St+art Festival’?
I collaborated with a transgender named Nisha Gulur for this festival to come up with a concept because I wanted them to be involved from the scratch. Nisha and
I had a discussion where I told her that I have a space I am supposed to visually
represent but I want to conceptualise it with you.
So we started from what, as a community, they would like to tell society.
We added a mythological touch to it because I wanted something of a back story. So I read up about ‘Arjuna’, the Pandava prince, becoming a woman and exploring the world through a woman’s eyes.
Please explain the elements you have used.
Nisha told me that the only thing she wanted to tell the society was that ‘we exist’. We picked bright beautiful colours for the palette and wrote the message in Kannada. The visuals were a depiction of a generic transperson’s face — it was not modelled on anyone in particular. It is a half man-half woman image. I have also added a hibiscus because it is a flower I really like and also because it is a plant that has both male and female parts.
What do you hope to convey through this work?
It is definitely about us giving them a chance but that will only make us sound superior. So it is more about us treating them equally. We have become like a mob that doesn’t want to accept them in our midst. ‘See beyond gender’ is what I want
to say.
What are some reactions you have got from the public?
Oh, we have got some really lovely reactions; not many that are verbal because they wouldn’t know what to say — either about the painting or to transgenders. That’s why this whole painting is like a conversation starter for people who think, ‘I don’t know what to say’. You don’t have to behave differently with transgenders. Once we had a couple of women who came to watch us painting and then they said, “Oh, these are those women right!” And I replied saying, “What women?” to which they quickly responded, “Never mind, they are also women.” Men have also come up to us and said, “You are doing a great job.” Such comments have really made us happy.
What is it about these communities that inspires you?
They are so bold and ready to face many challenges just to be true to what they feel. They are ready to face our sexism, chauvinism, racism and everything else we subject them to, go against their families and do odd jobs just to be true
to their identities. They try and make a joke out of all their problems. I don’t think
I will ever be able to even comprehend that level of courage.
Who is your favourite painter?
Oh...I don’t know (laughs). Nobody in particular really. I like the signboard painters on the road though. Their works are gorgeous.
Any other hobbies, other than painting?
I love travelling. It is more than a hobby now. And I recently got a Ukulele so I am learning that now.