THE CHANGING FACES OF WOMEN IN INDIA, THROUGH THE LENSES OF ACTIVIST ART AND ARTISTS. GENDER, POWER AND INEQUALITY.

1. The Changing Faces of Women in India:
Third International Conference on Advances in Women´s Studies
(AWS) 30-31 July, Buffalo New York, USA
“Women in the Third World,
GENDER, POWER & INEQUALITY”
Through the Lenses of Activist Art and Artists
Pictures by: Soniya /
www.soniyaamritpatel.com
PRESENTED BY:
SONIYA AMRITLAL PATEL

2. Picture by:
This presentation aims to examine the political
and feminist agenda of contemporary women´s
movements and artists in modern India.

3. Amongst the questions to be addressed are:
Is the status of the masses of women truly evolving
positively?
Are art and activism effectively raising awareness and
provoking changes in attitudes?
Do enough feminists or women artists and intellectuals
consider the emancipation of fellow women in India a
worthy enough cause for attention?
In this presentation, we shall examine the origins and a
sampling of initiatives of one specific group and
question ourselves about whether the strategies being
used may be seen to be effectively raising some degree of
awareness and/or inducing some measure of positive
alternatives.

4. 1) The Blank Noise Project. (Addressing the Infamous
Phenomena of “Eve Teasing”) (To be examined in
this talk)
FUTURE PRESENTATIONS
2) The Gulabi Gang (Pink Ladies in India, In Response
to Wide Spread State and Officially Endorsed /
Induced Corruption, Oppression, Domestic Violence
and Sexual Abuse).
3) Navjot Altaf (Interactive Collaborative Art: Beyond the
Boundaries of Traditional Art Forms; Interrogating
Established Power Structures).

5. “The problem with gender is that it prescribes how
we should be rather than recognizing how we are.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Photo by Chris Boland / www.chrisboland.com
Let´s begin by reflecting on the words of the acclaimed
Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose book
“WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS” has become
obligatory reading for every 16 year old in Swedish schools.
Adichie, C. N. (2009, July). The Danger of a
Single Story, OnlineTed Video.
My own definition of feminist
is: Feminist: a man or a
woman who says, “Yes,
there’s a problem with
gender as it is today, and we
must fix it, we must do
better.”

6. With these words, Ms Adichie succinctly describes
one of the most entrenched grievances plaguing
societies worldwide in varying degrees.
However, her words convey a message of hope, the
possibility of changing attitudes, the possibility of
EDUCATING.
Picture by: Soniya / www.soniyaamritpatel.com

7. We can safely presume that there are possibly three main
avenues to be used in order to begin to alter and address
the perception / problem to which Ms Adichie refers.
EDUCATION,
AWARENESS,
EMPOWERMENT
This study examines how activist artists and feminist
groups in India are addressing gender misperceptions
and abuse, raising awareness and bringing the issue to
the frontline using the strategies above.
This presentation will look specifically at the project :
Blank Noise.

8. There exists a disease that is
both endemic and epidemic;
one which plagues women
not only in India, but in
Bangladesh,
Pakistan & Nepal to
mention just a handful.
Most women regularly battle
the beast, often obliged to
fight it off several times a
day.
It’s presence has been suffered for as long as one cares to
remember. The euphemism for this affliction: “Eve-Teasing”

9. So exactly what does Eve -Teasing refer to?
“
“Eve-teasing is the male harassment of a woman
in public – verbally, physically, or both – a form of
taunting with varying degrees of seriousness.”
(Rajan, 2002, p. 46).
Photo source: Latestinfotales.com
http://latestinfotales.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/08/m1.jpg (*Eve-teasing’ by Cops: Pulwama on Boil”)

10. Eve - Teasing takes place in public, often in
the presence of passive observers. There is usually no
intervention or inclination from passersby to stop what
is happening.
The occurrences vary from staring, cat calls and
whistling to physical harassment, molestation and
sometimes eventual rape; often involving groups of
men together. I present a 3.5 min. clip from a film
directed by Anurag Kashyap:
PLEASE PLAY FROM MIN. 5.32 – 8.59
“THAT DAY AFTER EVERYDAY”
This film demonstrates what women in India and other
Asian Countries find themselves up against daily.

11. (Sankalp Acharekar O. H. & LargeShortFilms, 2013)
That Day After Everyday, 2013 ‧ Bollywood/Drama ‧ 22 mins
A Hindi short film directed by Anurag Kashyap, written by Nitin Bhardwaj and produced
by Sankalp Acharekar & Omer Haidar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQR6cB1DXzY
IF THE CLIP DOES NOT PLAY, PLEASE PLAY FROM
MIN. 5.32 – 8.59 IN YOUTUBE

12. Rebelling against this social scourge, aiming to
awaken, provoke awareness and change, in August
2003, Jasmeen Patheja from the Srishti School of
Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore, set up a
project called:
Blank Noise
“Blank Noise refers to the silence that
can create noise. The project was a
response to street sexual harassment
experienced by urban Indian women,”
(Patheja, 2003).

13. Blank Noise is a public art endeavour that brings
people face to face with the occurrence of gender and
sexual harassment/violence in public spaces.
It challenges the passive attitudes of both women and
men to the humiliation, invasion of privacy and liberty of
movement; attitudes which have been the predominant
status quo hitherto. It aims to dispel with the
widespread, infamous misconception that women
subjected to violence are somehow responsible or to
blame for their condition.
Blank Noise vehemently calls for CHANGE
- In Attitudes & Culture
- In Comprehension & Understanding
- In Tolerating the Intolerant.

14. Photo from: Eve-Teasing1 by ayshafaseeh
Digital Art / Vector / Other©2012-2016
ayshafaseeh
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
hPA9tq7LSjY/UnuW_Im96uI/AAAAAAAAAn
E/VZ_jwG_gaUY/s1600/eve-teasing-
dhaka.jpg
Photo:http://eveteasingindhaka.blogsp
ot.com/2013/11/eve-teasing-dhaka-
solutions.html.
Public Art, Technology and Citizenship - Blank
Noise Project — The Centre for Internet and
Society
cis-india.org351 × 400Search by image
CHANGE-MAKER: Jasmeen Patheja PROJECT:
Blank Noise Project: A volunteer-led arts
collective community STRATEGY OF CHANGE:
Fostering an active, participatory and horizontal
model of citizenship, empowering its volunteers
to participate politically
http://www.ineveraskforit.org/about
http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-
change/blank-noise-citizenship

15. In Jasmeen Patheja’s own words “Blank Noise focuses
on tackling street sexual violence” (Patheja, Ignite talk
by Jasmeen Patheja, 2013)
Photo Source: BLANK NOISE: April 2005blog.blanknoise.org640 × 446Search by image
In 2003, prior to establishing Blank Noise, Patheja and
fellow students drew up mind maps to reflect on the
feelings that being in public spaces generated in girls.

16. http://blog.blanknoise.org/2010_02_01_archive.html
Predictably, public spaces ignited largely negative
emotions amongst girls and women.
The mind maps contained
words such as:
amongst many others.
Patheja points out that the 51
students unwilling to collaborate
clearly represent the prevailing
societal attitude of “Denial
& Absolute Silence”,
(Patheja 2013)
Revelantly, out of 60 students
present, only 9 were willing to
participate in the experiment.

17. The Highly Insidious, Utterly Dangerous
factor that the experiment reveals and highlights is that
experiences of abuse and violence in public spacesin
India are regarded as
“Normal Behaviour”
by the majority of women and men in society; such
harassment is to be:
Expected, Tolerated & even Accepted,
It is INCONSEQUENCIAL,
INSIGNIFICANT
and therefore not requiring intervention, addressing or
CHANGE.

18. “The larger societal attitude was of denial and silence”,
(Patheja, Ignite talk by Jasmeen Patheja, 2013).
Break the Silence, the Inertia, the
Passiveness,
to get the general public, society and women engaged
in a discourse on sexual harassment and violence in
public spaces; to contemplate and tackle the
“Shame, Blame and Guilt” associated with
gender violence in public spaces, to address the
“Lack of Ownership”, (Patheja, Ignite talk by
Jasmeen Patheja, 2013).
One of the major objectives of the Blank Noise
endeavour has been to:

19. I shall present a sampling of strategies and performances
by Blank Noise and various Action Heroes as the
women and men who collaborate and participate in Blank
Noise events call themselves.
As we have seen the Blank Noise initiative
focuses specifically on women´s relationship
to public spaces.
We have also clearly established that this relationship is a
wholly uncomfortable, often highly violent relationship,
based on fear, intimidation and threat, an absolute lack
of belonging, or ownership.

20. KEYS
MOBILE
HIGH HEELS
FINGER NAILS
DEODORANT SPRAY
SAFETY PIN HAIR CLIP
NAIL CUTTER
KNUCKLES
SINDOOR
UMBRELLA
Can anyone take a guess as to what these items
might refer to?

21. In one of her many early experiments, Blank Noise
founder Jasmeen Patheja established that as a result of
this HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH PUBLIC SPACES, women resorted to
carrying all manner of
“FEMININE WEAPONRY” in their
handbags, in order to ward of the beasts they might
encounter in public spaces; “a list of things that
they would never leave home without”
(Patheja 2013)
Significantly women would also wear the traditional
“sindoor” (red powder) in their hair parting so as to
appear wedded.

22. Last but not least women tend to go about their
routine in public spaces with a clear attitude of:
“NOT TO BE HEARD or
NOTICED , & MOST
DEFINITELY NOT TO BE
SEEN”

23. Aiming to create a public testimony of street
harassment by victims. Jasmeen Patheja set up
workshops involving public participation, and
installations. She organised different “PROTEST
ACTIONS” involving participants who are called
“ACTION HEROS”
“Blank Noise is a space which gathers testimonials ,
disperses testimonials back in the public space, gains
insights from them and throws them back in the
public”, (Patheja, 2013).

24. In one “Protest Action” women were invited to hand in
the clothes that they had been wearing at the time of
their abuse. The BLAME GAME
The objective of this performance was to confront and
address issues and attitudes concerning the blame and
guilt arising from experiences of sexual
Violence. WHY DO “MOST WOMEN ACROSS THE
WORLD” (Patheja, 2013)
NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY WERE WEARING AT THE TIME?
Photos from: http://blog.blanknoise.org/

25. The first steps focused on tackling Blame and Guilt;
encouraging women to send in the garment they had
been wearing when the abuse took place and to
“Reject Blame, to Arrest Blame” (Patheja
2013) by reiterating over and over again: “
Photo source: http://blog.blanknoise.org/(http://www.ineveraskforit.org/blank-noise)
Photo from: www.pinterest.com thepaperpackage.co.nz
The garment became “a witness, a testimonial and
a rejection of blame,” (Patheja 2013).

26. This was taken further by inviting women ACTION
HEROES TO CHOOSE TO “UNLEARN FEAR” , TO
TAKE A PLEDGE TO ASSERT VISIBILITY, TO
REJECT BLAME.
“Role Reversal, The project is a fluid experiment in
getting women to assert themselves in public spaces.”
(Gupta, Hemangini 2005,).
This was achieved by inviting women to lose the fear of
being in public spaces, to allow themselves to relax and
possess the space they chose to be in without feeling the
need to wield or carry the “feminine weapons,
(mentioned earlier ).
I would like to point out that these demonstrations and/or
performances were organized and taking place either
simultaneously or one after the other in various cities all over India.

27. Action Heroes help to inspire others to be Action
Heroes by asserting their presence in spaces that were
traditionally off limits and by claiming their rights and
citizenship to freedom of movement.
An important and significantly empowering strategy
was to invite women to forego the traditionally
expected posture of:
“Apology and Humility”
Shy, head bowed gaze, lowered eyelids;
traditionally demure, modest posture that is
culturally typical and considered fitting of a
“RESPECTABLE WOMAN”; in order to take a
stance and possession.

28. This is achieved by making Bold & Clear Eye
Contact, thus claiming ownership as an EQUAL
and being in assertion and possession of the
public space in question.
A step by step guide to
“UNAPOLOGETIC
WALKING”
in public spaces was drawn
up, displayed and
Distributed.
Photo by: Soniya / www.soniyaamritpatel.com
SHANTI KAKI

29. Source: blog.blanknoise.org

30. is another happening which I would consider as having
been an eye opener in terms of the Indian context, and
well worth examining.
In this event, spaces were set up and Action Heroes
engaged complete strangers in conversation over tea and
snacks, having been specifically instructed to refrain
from discussing the topic of street sexual violence.
The experiment was meant to evaluate whether
strangers of the opposite sex are able to connect
empathetically, reaching beyond the cultural and social
biases that largely govern male female relationships in
India.
“TALK TO ME”

31. I present excerpts of conversations from the
TALK TO ME experiment through:
Photo source: http://blog.blanknoise.org/
“A conversation is a
collaboration and requires
openness, willingness,
vulnerability”
(ACTION HEROES, 2012)
The Atlantic by Sarah Goodyear
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2013/07/can-couple-
tables-make-bangalores-rapist-lane-safe-again/6094/
(Please follow the links above)

32. SOME OBSERVATIONS & CONCLUSIONS:
“There was a unanimous sense of having overcome
their own fears when they participated in this event.
…There's unsafe and there's a perception of unsafe.
……the unknown is feared, thus makes it unsafe.
In this case unknown strangers ... brought together
over tea and samosas.
It was an open conversation with no agenda or pre set
questions.
They were asked to not talk about street sexual
harassment”. (ACTION HEROES, 2012)
Source: http://blog.blanknoise.org
(Please follow the link above for further information)

33. “Being defensive, hyper alert to 'making safe' doesn't
ever lead to actually 'feeling safe'.
We tend to make ourselves feel safe by building defence.
We need to make ourselves safe by making familiar
instead.
It requires a purposeful unclenching of the fist.
Fear creates fear. Defence creates defence.
We need to build safe cities with empathy”. (ACTION HEROES,
2012)
Source: http://blog.blanknoise.org
(Please follow the link above for further information)

34. Consequently amongst the primary objectives of the
Blank Noise endeavour WAS AND CONTINUES TO
BE an utmost urgency to break the silence, to get the
public, men and women engaged in a discourse on
sexual harassment and violence in public spaces; to
contemplate and tackle the
“Shame, Blame and Guilt” associated with
gender violence in public spaces, as well as the “Lack
of Ownership”, (Patheja, Ignite talk by Jasmeen
Patheja, 2013)
Below is the link to latest from Blank Noise.
Let’s investigate recent happenings:
(Please follow the links) http://blog.blanknoise.org/
http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/07/12/stories/2005071200450400.htm

35. SELECTED REFERENCES
Adichie, C. N. (2009, July). The Danger of a Single Story, OnlineTed Video. (Ted
Global) Retrieved September 19, 2014, from Ted Global:
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
Gupta, H. (2005, July 12). One Night Stand on The Streets. Retrieved August 15,
2014, from The Hindu Metro Plus Bangalore:
http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/07/12/stories/2005071200450400.ht
m
Patheja, J. (2010, September 27). Blank Noise. Retrieved August 15, 2014, from
India Social Case study, Case Challenge - Edition 1:
http://www.indiasocial.in/case-study-blank-noise/
Rajan, R. S. (2002). Mapping Histories: Essays Presented to Ravinder Kumar – The
story of Draupadi´s Disrobing Meanings for Our Times (Second ed.). (N. C.
Ravinder Kumar, Ed.) London, London, UK: Anthem Press, Wimbledon
Publishing Company (First Published by Tulika, India, 2000).

36. The Atlantic by Sarah Goodyear
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2013/07/can-couple-tables-make-bangalores-
rapist-lane-safe-again/6094/
http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/07/12/stories/200507120045040
0.htm
http://blog.blanknoise.org/2015/06/widow-desire-conduct-code-i-never-
ask.html
http://blog.blanknoise.org/2010_02_01_archive.html
CHANGE-MAKER: Jasmeen Patheja PROJECT: Blank Noise Project: A volunteer-led
arts collective community STRATEGY OF CHANGE: Fostering an active,
participatory and horizontal model of citizenship, empowering its volunteers to
participate politically
Public Art, Technology and Citizenship - Blank Noise Project — The Centre for
Internet and Society
cis-india.org351 × 400Search by image

37. Sankalp Acharekar O. H. & LargeShortFilms, 2013)
That Day After Everyday, 2013 ‧ Bollywood/Drama ‧ 22 mins
A Hindi short film directed by Anurag Kashyap, written by Nitin Bhardwaj and
produced by Sankalp Acharekar & Omer Haidar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQR6cB1DXzY
www.soniyaamritpatel.com
www.chrisboland.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKMgIn6eOKU
Photo:http://eveteasingindhaka.blogspot.com/2013/11/eve-teasing-dhaka-
solutions.html
Photo source: Latestinfotales.com http://latestinfotales.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/08/m1.jpg

38. Photo from: Eve-Teasing1 by ayshafaseeh Digital Art / Vector /
Other©2012-2016 ayshafaseeh
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
hPA9tq7LSjY/UnuW_Im96uI/AAAAAAAAAnE/VZ_jwG_gaUY/s1600/eve-
teasing-dhaka.jpg
http://www.ineveraskforit.org/about
http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/blank-noise-citizenship
Thank you very much for your interest and attention