COLOURS OF RESILIENCE

Anamm Inamdar learns more about the Aravani Art Project from founder Poornima Sukumar

- Anamm Inamdar

“Every move they make looks like an artwork to me,” Poornima Sukumar says, reflecting on the beauty and grace of the transgender artists she works with. This sentiment captures the essence of the Aravani Art Project-a public art collective led by transgender and cisgender women, a living, breathing canvas of stories, struggles, and triumphs.

The story of the Aravani Art Project began not with grand plans but with simple friendships. Sukumar, an artist herself, was working on a documentary on the transgender community in India when she found herself drawn deeply into their world. What struck her was not just the marginalisation they faced but also their resilience and untapped potential. “There are so many people from the community, but so little is known about them,” she reflects. The idea wasn't born in a moment of epiphany but through countless conversations, shared cups of chai, and a growing realisation that something needed to be done—and that art could be the answer.

In 2016, the Aravani Art Project officially took its first steps. The goal was to create a platform where transgender individuals could express themselves through art while reclaiming public spaces that had long excluded them. The name ‘Aravani’ itself is significant as it’s a term used in Tamil Nadu to refer to transgender women, grounding the project in cultural and linguistic identity.