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Growing up as a British Indian girl in England, I saw firsthand how Indian girls are often expected to bend to rules that don’t apply to boys. My mum fought hard against this, giving me a head start, but I still felt the pressure from wider family and the culture in general to conform.
This painting shows a young Indian girl holding a candle, caught between tradition and her desire to express herself freely. It’s my love letter to the wild, untamed spirit in every girl and woman, finding the courage to push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and lead the way for the next generation. As Clarissa Pinkola Estés wrote, “Even the most repressed woman has a secret life, with secret thoughts and secret feelings which are lush and wild, that is, natural.” Slowing I've been finding my way through loving my culture while refusing to partake in the patriarchy thats seeped in so deeply under the guise of religion. Although soft, and beautiful, this is probably my most rebellious painting yet and a hint of what's coming.
Ava Khera© all rights reserved.