Aesthetics of Resistance: Contemporary Indian Women Artists and Their Ecofeminist Thought and Practice

ABSTRACT

“Ecofeminism” as an intersectional theory charts the sites of intersection between gender and environmental justice, highlighting the ways in which patriarchal regimes are responsible for both ecological degradation and gender oppressive regimes. For India, it is the contemporary women artists who have led the charge in raising these interconnected issues in their art. This research paper examines the Indian women artists engagement with ecofeminist concerns in their art, criticizing environmental exploitation, promoting sustainability, and reclaiming indigenous and feminine narratives of nature. In a critical reading of the work of the leading figures of Indian contemporary art, this research demonstrates how their art works are powerful tools of socio-political critique and activism. Through installation, painting, sculpture, and performance art, these artists synthesize ecological consciousness with gender justice, challenging mainstream discourses and opening up a more inclusive, environmentally conscious debate. This research paper places their artistic practices within the larger ecofeminist movement and highlights the transformative power of art in the face of the worlds most pressing challenges. It is a transformative force that can challenge the ways in which we think, feel, and act.

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