Two women explore the concept of destiny as we know it and how it comes up short. By Ayushi Sharma
Art can be used for personal journeys or to explore philosophical truths. Two women — sisters, comrades and friends — have come together to explore the limits presented by the popular notion of destiny.
Through their art exhibition they explore the various myths, traditions, allegories and perception created around it.
Curator Georgina Maddox-led two women, painter Shiffali Wadhawan and sculptor Tapasya Gupta, towards the art exhibition Destiny: Sold Out to explore the concept collaboratively. Shiffali said, “Since childhood I went through a lot of good and bad, more bad than good, honestly. Like most people I asked myself, ‘why is this happening to me?’ This made me explore the concept of destiny, and I realised that I wasn’t sure if I believed in it. I’m still searching but I definitely know that the superstitious things people do to affect destiny doesn’t work.”
She went on to add, “Tapasya and I are childhood friends, cousins, but best friends as well. We both discussed about this concept obviously Georgina directed us towards the right path.” While talking about her work, Tapasya said, “Every work has a story behind it. There’s something extremely personal, if you look at the entire show, its not just a decorative piece. As a viewer, you will be able to see a story behind it.”
For one of the sculptures titled I Wish, Tapasya wrote a poem, “I wish I get to open my wings and fly, I wish I atleast get to try, I wish you don't ask me why, I wish..I wish..I wish. It signifies that basically women have something to do but unfortunately they don’t get a chance to do it.”
“Most of the women that I have used in my paintings are actually blindfolded because I believe you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. You just have to keep on doing your part in life,” said Shiffali about her paintings. The artworks by Wadhawan and Gupta explore the inner life of an individual.
“We want to take you on a journey, where we examine beliefs and explore the subconscious thoughts,” said the artists.
As women, both Shiffali and Tapasya, are in a unique position to examine destiny from a feminine perspective. Their works, which are both playful and allegorical question — can the current concept of destiny be right if it makes us give up? Or will it be better to persist without it, despite whatever is imprinted in the darkness. There’s no human algorithm to solve this, but the concept must be examined and challenged in a post-modern society. As Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”