The event was hosted at the exclusive Directors Club Lounge in Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj—a hidden gem that I explored during a short tour courtesy of PVR representatives. However, the heart of the experience was the interaction at the conference facility, where I shared a delicious five-course meal with eleven inspiring women managing Delhi’s ‘Pink Toilets’ turned ‘Garima Grihs’.

Read more about SABERA Awardee and guest of Honour Chhaya Sharma

The Pink Toilets Initiative: Recognized by SABERA

The Pink Toilets initiative, honored by the SABERA Awards, is a stellar example of how public-private partnerships can drive real change. What began as a civic facility for women has been transformed into safe, clean spaces and hubs for empowerment under PVR Nest’s guidance.

Managed by an inspiring group of women like Kiran, Kavita, Babita, Pooja, Laxmi, Chandini, Anjum, Monika, Mithilesh, and Reena, these centers now offer skilling courses in sewing, beauty, and hygiene. They’ve also become safe spaces for breastfeeding and community education, impacting neighboring areas by promoting cleanliness and health awareness.

Lakshmi, who oversees the RK Puram center, reflected on her journey:
“Initially, I would burst into tears when people in the community taunted me for asking them to keep their surroundings clean. Even my family questioned why I wanted to work in a toilet. But thanks to the persistence and encouragement of my cohort leaders, I persevered. Today, I am respected for the work I do.”

These centers have not only provided a source of income for these women—many of whom are now the primary earners in their families—but also created safe, welcoming spaces that benefit entire communities.

PVR Nest’s Power of One Program: Driving Social Impact

The Power of One program by PVR Nest highlights the potential of grassroots initiatives to create a ripple effect of positive change. This public-private partnership focuses on uplifting women and girls from vulnerable urban slum communities by providing skilling opportunities and socio-economic advancement tools.

The program’s WeRise Changemaker initiative has been specially designed to build leadership and communication skills for community leaders. Members of the Pink Toilets initiative participated in the first edition of this program, which is helping them develop the confidence and knowledge to become role models and changemakers.

I was honored to lead the opening session, “Every Woman is a Leader,” where I shared insights about harnessing inner strength to inspire and influence positive change in one’s community. It was an engaging and humbling experience, with each woman’s journey serving as a testament to resilience and empowerment.

A Day of Inspiration

The day concluded with meaningful conversations over a sumptuous five-course meal at the Directors Lounge. I returned home deeply inspired by the courage and determination of these women, who are breaking barriers and creating ripples of change in their communities.

The Pink Toilets initiative, recognized by the SABERA Awards, stands as a powerful testament to how women when given the right tools and support, can transform not only their own lives but also the lives of those around them.

SABERA 2024 are scheduled for December 11th at the India Habitat Centre, where more such stories of Impact will be celebrated. To attend register and reserve delegate passes here

The post Empowering Women One Pink toilet at a time appeared first on Woman Endangered.

On September 21, 2024, I had the privilege of conducting a transformative workshop at VIT Pune, aimed at combating violence against women. This session marked my second interaction with the talented second-year BTech students at this esteemed institution. My first visit in 2022, as part of an impactful initiative, rolled out in collaboration with JOSH TALKS and their client TVS, involved engaging engineering students across twelve states in India on this crucial topic.

Read about the in-person workshops with VIT Pune

Understanding Gender-Based Violence

At the core of this workshop was a comprehensive understanding of what gender-based violence entails. Participants delved into its various forms, recognized the phases of life where such violence can occur, and discussed effective prevention strategies. We highlighted the importance of understanding these elements and taking action to eradicate this grave societal issue and ensure justice for victims.

A key highlight of the session was the inclusion of insights from IPS Chhaya Sharma, the head of the Special Unit for Women and Child in the Delhi Police. Her instrumental role in cracking the infamous Nirbhaya case provided the students with a real-world perspective on the urgency and complexity of addressing violence against women.

Read more here यौन उत्पीड़न के मामले में क्या करना है – What to do in case of Rape ?

Insights from the Pre-Workshop Survey

Before the workshop, we surveyed 36 participating students to gauge their knowledge of gender-based violence. The results were revealing:

• Over half of the respondents (19 out of 36) believed that at least one in every three women faces some form of violence in their lifetime.
• About half of the respondents (14) thought that only two out of ten victims ever seek justice.
• A similar number (13 respondents) felt that violence against women begins in infancy.

These statistics underscore the pervasive nature of violence and the critical need for ongoing education and awareness on this issue.

A Platform for Inquiry and Inspiration

The hour-long workshop encouraged an open and engaging dialogue among the students, regardless of gender. Their eagerness to ask questions demonstrated a shared commitment to understanding and combating violence against women. Many expressed the need for continued discussions and workshops, highlighting the importance of integrating these conversations into educational settings.

Meet the Facilitator

The session was led by Suparnaa Chadda, widely known as Simply Suparnaa, the founder of the Simply Suparnaa Media Network. A notable UN Women Awardee, Suparnaa has dedicated her career to advocating for women’s rights and empowering communities through education and awareness. Her passion and expertise were pivotal in guiding the workshop, inspiring countless students to become advocates for change. Suparnaa also acknowledges SDG-aligned initiatives through the annual SABERA Awards which includes लैंगिक समानता (Gender Diversity & Inclusion).

Conclusion: A Call to Action

As we concluded the workshop, it became clear that knowledge and awareness are the first steps toward making a tangible impact in the fight against violence against women. By instilling these values in young minds, we can foster a generation of leaders who are committed to creating safer environments for all.

This workshop not only educated students but also equipped them with the tools to inspire change in their communities. It’s time to turn awareness into action! For hosting a workshop with your university students write to womanendangered@gmail.com or suparnaa@simplysuparnaa.com

The post Breaking the Silence: Empowering Students to Combat Gender based Violence Against Women appeared first on Woman Endangered.

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting with Special Commissioner Chhaya Sharma at the Delhi Police Headquarters. Our discussion centered on the progressive provisions recently enacted by the Indian Parliament in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), formerly known as the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These changes mark a significant step forward in protecting women and children and ensuring swifter justice.

Ms. Sharma’s dedication to this cause was truly inspiring. Her instrumental role in securing justice in the Nirbhaya case reflects the national commitment to improved legal safeguards.

Watch the interaction with IPS Chhaya Sharama sharing a step-by-step guide to justice in Heinous crimes like Rape

A New Dawn for Women and Children

The BNS now dedicates a separate chapter to offenses against women and children, consolidating provisions previously scattered throughout the penal code. This shift signifies the heightened importance placed on their safety and well-being, a point Ms. Sharma emphasized during our conversation.

Key Provisions for Enhanced Protection:

• Clause 70 (Gang Rape of Minors): This clause mandates life imprisonment or the death penalty for the gang rape of a minor, demonstrating zero tolerance for such heinous crimes.
• Clause 69 (Sexual Deception): A new provision criminalizes sexual intercourse by deception or false promise of marriage, regardless of the perpetrator’s gender (man, woman, or transgender), with imprisonment of up to 10 years and a possible fine.
• Stronger Penalties for Exploitation: The BNS strengthens penalties for exploiting and trafficking women and children.

Expedited Justice:

The new laws prioritize faster resolution of heinous crimes like rape by mandating timelines. Victims are no longer required to appear in person for court proceedings, with audio-video electronic means available for examinations, which Ms. Sharma highlighted as crucial for victim protection.

Improved Accessibility and Investigation:

• Zero FIR: The BNS statutorily recognizes Zero FIRs, allowing victims to report crimes at any police station regardless of the location of the offense.
• E-FIR for Women: Women can now file an E-FIR (electronic FIR), ensuring registration within 3 days of receiving the complaint.
• Mandatory Forensic Investigations: Forensic investigations are mandatory for heinous crimes.
• Digital Evidence Admissibility: The BNS emphasizes the importance of digital evidence, making it admissible, especially in cases like matrimonial disputes where traditional proof might be scarce.

These progressive provisions represent a crucial step towards a safer and more just India for women and children. With dedicated law enforcement personnel like Ms. Sharma and improved legal processes, the BNS empowers victims and paves the way for a more secure future.

Empowering Women: Insights from IPS Chhaya Sharma at SABERA

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The Power of Authentic Leadership:
Authentic leadership has become a much-needed quality in our society. Kristin Engvig emphasizes the importance of leading from a place of genuine values, integrity, and purpose. Through WIN, she channels the ancient wisdom of the Nordic culture, infusing it with a contemporary perspective to inspire leaders to be their truest selves. By embracing authentic leadership, individuals can create a positive impact in their organizations and communities, fostering a culture of trust, innovation, and collaboration.

Nurturing a Feminine Approach:
In a predominantly male-dominated leadership landscape, Kristin believes that incorporating a more feminine approach is essential for achieving a balanced and sustainable world. Drawing from her experiences and observations, she highlights the unique strengths and qualities that women bring to the table, such as empathy, intuition, and collaboration. By embracing these feminine attributes, leaders can foster inclusivity, create nurturing work environments, and drive positive change.

Insights on Negotiating for Women:
One of the highlights of our conversation with Kristin was her invaluable insights on the art of negotiating, especially for women. She recognizes that women often face unique challenges in negotiation situations and provides strategies and techniques to overcome them. The most important aspect is for Women to Value their own selves and what they bring to the table to be able to negotiate better for themselves. From enhancing communication skills to building confidence and leveraging personal strengths, Kristin empowers women to navigate negotiations successfully, ensuring their voices are heard and their contributions recognized.

Nordic wisdom, with its deep historical roots and connection to nature, holds immense value for our modern world. Kristin Engvig’s WIN embodies this wisdom in alignment with our own wisdom of the land, infusing it into the fabric of contemporary leadership practices. By embracing ancient wisdom, we can tap into a rich heritage that emphasizes sustainability, harmony, and holistic well-being. Together, we can forge a path toward a more inclusive and sustainable future, where ancient wisdom intertwines with modern innovation.

To explore the full conversation with Kristin Engvig, click here. Discover the transformative power of authentic leadership, feminine perspectives, and the art of negotiation.

To attend the next WIN & WIN conference and be a part of this transformative journey, log in to winconference.net.

For those passionate about making a tangible impact and contributing to India’s development, explore sabera.co to submit your work and be a catalyst for change.

Let’s unite and embrace the power of ancient wisdom to create a more inclusive, sustainable future. Together, we can amplify the voices of women, and inspire change.

The post Authentic Leadership, Women, and Wisdom with Kristin Engvig appeared first on Woman Endangered.

SHO Tomar shares that there are 2 main reasons for any cybercrime – Greed and Fear.

Sexual Harassment of girls and Financial cheating embroiled through emotional traps for older women top the charts for cyber crime against women!

The podcast is a valuable resource for women who may be vulnerable to cybercrime and are unsure of what to do if they fall victim to it. SHO Pawan Tomar provides detailed information on how to report cybercrime, including the types of evidence that may be needed and the different agencies that can be contacted for assistance.

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8th to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women all over the world. This year’s theme is “DigitALL: Technology & Innovation for Gender Equality.” The theme highlights the importance of leveraging technology and innovation to promote gender equality and empower women in all aspects of life.

In today’s digital world, women face unique challenges and risks online. Cybercrime against women is a growing problem in India. According to a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), cybercrime against women increased by 50% in 2019 compared to the previous year. According to SHO Tomar, 90% of social media crimes are targeted at women. The two main offenses are cyber stalking of younger girls and financial cheating of older women.

Cyberstalking is a form of online harassment where the perpetrator repeatedly sends unwanted messages or follows the victim on social media platforms or other online spaces. Younger girls are particularly vulnerable to cyberstalking, with many cases involving perpetrators who are known to them. Infact in most cases, the victims may have been in a relationship with the perpetrator and as revenge for the relationship gone sour, the boys may also threaten or leak some intimate videos or photos to harass or blackmail the girl. This type of cybercrime can have a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of victims.

On the other hand, financial cheating is a type of cybercrime that targets older women who may be less tech-savvy and more trusting of strangers. Perpetrators use online platforms to establish relationships with victims and gain their trust before asking for money or access to their financial accounts. This type of cybercrime can lead to significant financial losses for victims besides the emotional trauma that they experience.

To address these issues, it is essential to promote digital literacy among women and girls, particularly in vulnerable communities. Education and training on safe online behavior can help women protect themselves from cybercrime and make informed decisions about their online activities. Additionally, there is a need to strengthen laws and policies to better protect women from online harassment and abuse.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, let us renew our commitment to promoting gender equality in all aspects of life, including the digital sphere. By harnessing the power of technology and innovation, we can create a world where women and girls can thrive and reach their full potential.

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The report weaves its studies through not just empirical data but real stories of 100 women who have filed cases for maintenance. The study goes on to highlight the issues and challenges faced including legal, financial, societal, family and health. Long legal battles for maintenance of women who have already been out of the workforce due to marriage and household responsibilities tend to lose out further on earning opportunities stated the study. The economic relief under the existing laws that are meant from saving the woman from vagrancy and starvation may not necessarily mean restoring a dignified life, it further claimed.

Read Also: A domestic violence victims appeal

From gaps and ambiguity in the law to lack of awareness of free legal aid services, the exhaustive study also reviews existing legal provisions for maintenance and showcases best practices followed in other countries.

The report can be accessed as under.

You can reach Vasavya Mahila Mandali can be reached as follows

vasavyamm@vasavya.org +91-8662470966

The post Women in Marital Discord – A study appeared first on Woman Endangered.

I am a domestic violence survivor. Even as an engineering graduate, I was not allowed to work outside the confines of the house. Irrespective, I took pride in looking after my children and looked after my family as best as I could. As a wife, daughter-in-law, and mother, I feel I have done well. Our two intelligent citizens of the country stand testimony to this. Unfortunately, though, at this stage in my life, I am left wanting to know my worth as a homemaker. Tortured and abandoned by the same family, domestic violence has become the reality of my life.

My name is Archana Mittal (maiden Sharma) aged 59 years (Turning 60 this year). As a Chemical Engineer, I have an MBA in Development Management. I have been a national scholarship holder and a District Topper who is now seeking her worth as a homemaker.

We have come a long way since the Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1994. It is important to recognize that domestic violence impacts millions of people, and it’s not only women who are victims; men suffer domestic violence as well.

Seeking legal recourse after domestic abuse, My experience with the police and courts exposed me to torture on another level. From exorbitant lawyer fees to delays in police complaint registration and subsequent delayed court dates. I continue to experience a multiplicity of litigation as filed by my estranged husband to break me with his might in the corporate world and the monetary success that I had silently helped him accrue as his homemaker wife. It’s been over six years that I am waiting for a date in the court that gets me my due as a 59-year-old homemaker. Despite all the evidence, I am suffering on all accounts. At this age I do not want a divorce, all I want is to lead a dignified life as supported by my constitution, and protected by the laws of our country.

Here are a few suggestions to affect a policy change such that the laws are actually impactful to those who suffer and not just become a tool for manipulation for a few.

These are arrived at after diligent research through journals, as well as speaking with survivors and other stakeholders.

· Do you know there is NO data available on domestic abuse offenders? Incorporating or creating a national register for domestic abuse offenders is of prime importance

· Addressing domestic abuse as an issue with the public health system

· Give a mandate to public distribution systems (milk booths, ration shops), places of worship, medical shops, and Kirana stores to have trigger buttons where women can register their domestic abuse call to authorities. All these centres/places have helpline numbers of NGOs working on Domestic violence. Sensitization to be done for these places

· Making help more accessible to victims in a seamless manner

· Creating a special task force by integrating offices from the Ministry of Health and Family welfare

· Training domestic abuse health counsellors (special counsellors)

· Special tribunals in courts for fast-tracking domestic abuse cases

· Gender-neutral laws (men and women both can be offenders)

· Creating awareness about domestic violence from the school level (inclusive of boys and girls)

· Introducing a subject on finance and law to understand the basics at the school secondary level (since most women are not involved in these at home they tend to suffer not knowing even the basics)

· Along with the registration of marriages, handing booklet of domestic violence laws to the couple

· Acknowledging the role of Homemakers in GDP growth. Some percentage of the earning member’s salary can be kept in an escrow account or GOI can collect as a cess tax (deducted from salary), and grant an adequate amount as maintenance, as prescribed by the supreme court, so the long-drawn-out fight lessens the burden on courts as well as resulting in giving dignity of women in society for being homemaker.

· After the amendment of laws, a review should be done to see the impact. Ever since the decriminalisation of adultery, chaos has erupted in the fabric of society. As though it’s a license to become immoral and corrupt leading to more divorces and collateral damage to families and children.

Divorces affect the GDP of the country too.

Please find a recent researched base report on the reasons for domestic violence as conducted by a couple of research scholars in Tripura focusing on their state. This research on reasons for domestic violence must be done countrywide to assess the situation of women in their own homes, reasons, challenges and what needs to be done for half of the population.

With All respect

Archana Mittal

Views are personal. The author, Archana Mittal volunteers with Mission Anganwadi,(CSO), an initiative for restructuring and strengthening Anganwadis. She also works for Vriddhachi Anganwadi at Pune, creating an ecosystem for elders ( 60-95yrs) within the community to age gracefully. She further supports women in challenging situations by creating short videos spreading awareness about women’s rights. As a certified therapist, she also provides counselling to women undergoing trauma and abuse in their own homes.

The post Domestic Violence: A victims appeal appeared first on Woman Endangered.

“I fight pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I have found that relieved my illness is to keep creating art. I followed the thread of art and somehow discovered a path that would allow me to live.”

Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese genius who has kept the art firmament of the world lit up for now over seven decades, lives in a mental asylum in Tokyo since 1977, by choice. And she is still creative and productive. Pain for her is the reason for her survival!

If she is outrageously controversial, she is daringly different; if she is unorthodox and loves to challenge the conventional and the commonplace, she also leaves an indelible imprint of a genius, if she challenges sanity and order, she impersonates them in her own life- openly, un-pretended and un-disguised.

She is Yayoi Kusama, a woman who could outmatch any human in style, substance and success!

An Unusual genius

Few men or women, in recent times, who straddled the world of arts, have courted such controversy and invited such diverse attention as this Japanese contemporary artist. She began as a sculptor and an installation artist but conquered with panache and distinction fields as diverse as painting, performance, video art, fashion; even poetry and fiction.

She has experimented so extensively and successfully, and her works span such variety and range, that even while still alive, she has acquired a cult status. If there are ardent admirers of her art, there are as many trenchant critics; vociferous voices that deride her accomplishments and find her works of art too gross for appreciation. But all of them ungrudgingly grant her a rare talent expressed with extraordinary originality and fearless innovation.

A Defiant Feminism

Yayoi Kusama is perhaps the best and the finest contemporary symbol of a woman’s creativity standing out on pure merit and an uncommon daring of conviction undiminished and unaffected by the ambient male challenge. Her life and her oeuvre eminently establish a woman’s will, capability and determination to create a world fashioned by her impulses, intentions and innovations.

She is known to have displayed elements of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism, a range impossible to find in one artist’s rapporteur. Her creations reflect autobiographical and psychological content and a sexualism that undergirds her exceptional creativity.

A scarred Childhood

Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Japan and trained at the Kyoto School of Painting, Kusama’s troubled childhood and the hallucinations that visited her then and through most of her life, seem to be both the inspiration and reason for her art. Her life’s early experiences framed by a philanderer father and a jealous insecure mother, made her hate the usual ideas of pleasure and joy. Her own understanding of the women’s position in Japanese families and societies made her a rebel. Never apologetic, she flaunted her open disgust and ridicule of the prevailing tenets of propriety and sexuality.

The other source of her inspiration was her hallucinations, mostly of soft, soothing swathes of light descending around her, both divine and surreal. That she chose themes explicit with sexual connotations, defying the moral milieu by making nudity a central piece of her artwork, explains to some extent her tortured and rebellious mind.

Polka Dots

Kusama’s identity is distinctively the depiction of polka dots. In her most shocking exhibition, she made nudes wear only polka dots. ‘A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colourful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots become movement … Polka dots are a way to infinity.’, she reportedly explained her obsession with polka dots with this justification.

And in pursuance of her conviction, she could go to any length. Her crusade for ending Vietnam War compelled her to write an open letter in 1968 to the then American president, Richard Nixon, “let’s forget ourselves, dearest Richard, and become one with the absolute, all together in the altogether.”Many construed this letter as an invitation to Nixon to sleep with her.

Japan, New York, and Japan

Kusama’s creative life saw three distinct phases. She began as a painter of the Nihonga style, a traditional Japanese style of painting but found it unappetising and moved on to New York and through 60s and later, became a part of New York’s avant-garde scene largely inspired by Abstract Impressionism. It was here that she came into contact with Donald Judd, Eva Hesse  Georgia O’Keefe and Joseph Cornell, the latter of who was 26 years elder, in a passionate but platonic affair that continued till Cornell’s death in 1972.

Passionately embracing the then-popular Hippie culture and Pop Art, she caught public notice and even notoriety when she organised a series of happenings in which naked participants were painted with brightly coloured polka dots. In 70s and later she created art mostly by installations in various museums around the world.

In 1973 she returned to Japan and continued with her artwork. Later announcing to be in an abnormal mental state, she began dabbling in literature and produced poems and fiction of noticeable quality. Her forays in the arena of films and fashion too left a distinct impression and further evidence of her uncommon versatility.

Inspired Installations

Her installations including in Central Park, New York, Venice Biennale and Singapore Biennale and her Infinity installations at numerous venues, established her as an artist with uninhibited genius and extraordinary originality. She is best remembered for these installations, grand in scale, often shocking in theme, and always displaying an element of surrealism. Light, spheres, dots, space, and sky, even painted pumpkins mingled, merged and metamorphosed into brightly coloured patterns that never failed to attract and sustain attention and approbation. The millions of footfalls of visitors and the riveting spell cast on them ensured her an uncommon standing and ovation, and placed her in an enormously enviable position, a dream desperately coveted by every artist.     

Living Immortality

Since 1977, and to date, Kusama has been living permanently in a mental hospital, by choice. Her studio, where she has continued to produce work since the mid-1970s, is a short distance from the hospital in Tokyo.

Kusama is often quoted as saying: “If it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago.”

Kusama is remarkable by any measurement of human ingenuity, talent, enterprise and achievement. She will be remembered by posterity not because she was a great artiste-prolific, versatile and original, which she indeed was- but because of the strength of her character, conviction and commitment to ideals that she ardently and fervently espoused and lived to personify. To remain in a mental asylum, in voluntary self-exile, betrays an extraordinarily strong determination and defiance trapped in a frail and delicate feminine frame. Hers is a spirit that steam-rolls a male-dominated value system and rules set to their advantage. 

At 93, alive and active, her defiance of mortality remains as compelling, as convincing.

Another gem from the pen of Uday Varma, Former I&B secretary, writing exclusively for us, on women in history overlooked by omission or distortion! 

This article is part of a series on women through history by author Uday Kumar Varma, former secretary of the Ministry of Information & broadcasting and MSME, Government of India. An ardent proponent of gender equity, Varma writes on women through history who have excelled in their area of passion and defied conventions. You may also like to read about the woman who triggered the abolishment of slavery, Harriet Beecher Stowe, activist Emmeline Pankhurst from England, the lady sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko from Russia,  the American pilot Amelia Earhart or Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg or just maybe a piece on the Spanish artist  Frida Kahloor Artemisia from Italy? And you must read the story of Mata Hari from the Netherlands– “Harlot? Oui! Mais traitoress, jamais!” ‘Courtesan! Yes; Spy, never!’

Or maybe the painter Okeefe ?

The post An artist extraordinare Yayoi Kusama appeared first on Woman Endangered.

Georgia Totto O’Keeffe was one of the few painters to have earned, sustained, and enjoyed the attention and adulation of commoners and connoisseurs alike and remained celebrated both during and after their lifetime. Known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers and New Mexico landscapes, O’Keeffe is celebrated as the originator of ‘female iconography’, despite her own refusal to join the feminist art movement or cooperate with any all-women projects.

Early Beginnings

Born November 15, 1887, O’Keeffe trained in her formative years at the Art Institute of Chicago (1905) and later at the Art Students League of New York (1908). With fierce zeal, she learnt industriously, taking up odd jobs and teaching, driving her learnings by self-education and intuition. She worked for two years as a commercial illustrator and taught in Virginia, Texas and South Carolina till 1918.

It was somewhere in this period that she was introduced to the ideas of Arthur Wesley Dow, who created works of art based upon personal style, design, and interpretation rather than copying any previous style and emphasised the importance of the arrangement of shapes and colours. Understanding Dow’s style was a light-bulb moment for O’Keeffe; she explained: “his idea was, to put it simply, fill a space in a beautiful way”. She began to experiment with shapes, colours and marks. Dow’s lasting impact on her interpretation and purpose of painting can be seen in the originality and freshness with which she treated her subjects.

Stieglitz and New York

Despite having found inspiration, O’Keeffe was still looking for a mentor and guide to provide circumstances that favoured and facilitated her work. She was to find one in in Alfred Stieglitz, twenty-four years her senior, an art dealer and photographer who provided her financial support and arranged for a residence and studio for her in New York in 1918, where he persuaded her to move.

She came to know many early modernists who were part of Stieglitz’s circle, including painters Charles Demuth, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, and photographers Paul Strand and Edward Steichen. She was to be influenced by them all, especially the photography of Strand as well as that of Stieglitz himself. Notably, Stieglitz successfully discouraged O’Keeffe from using watercolours, something she had started after her time in Virginia, convincing her of its association with amateur women artists.

Madly in love, O’Keeffe and Stieglitz lived together in New York for more than ten years till 1929, five of them as husband and wife.

Enlarged Flowers and Tall Buildings

O’Keeffe in the mid-1920s made about two-hundred flower paintings. Several of these were large-scale depictions of flowers as if seen through a magnifying lens. Notable among these were Oriental Poppies, several Red Canna paintings and Petunia, No. 2, her first large-scale flower painting which was made in 1924 and exhibited in 1925.

O’Keeffe’s magnified depictions of objects and attention to close-ups created a sense of awe and emotional intensity. Following an exhibition of her flower paintings and her sensuous photographs taken by Stieglitz, critics saw in her paintings a depiction of women’s sexuality; many claimed her Black Iris III and the Red Cannas were morphological metaphors for female genitalia. O’Keeffe, however, remained in denial of this interpretation throughout her life.

From 1925, her studio established on the 30^th floor of the Shelton Hotel, O’Keeffe began a series of paintings of the city skyscrapers and skyline. One notable work demonstrating her skill at the precisionist style is the Radiator Building – Night, New York; others painted in this period include New York Street with Moon, The Shelton with Sunspots, N.Y., and City Night.  She made a cityscape called East River from the Thirtieth Story of the Shelton Hotel, painting her view of the East River and smoke-emitting factories in Queens.

End of the Affair

Like all intense passions, the warmth and mutual attraction between O’Keeffe and Stieglitz cooled over time. As her biographer, Benita Eisler recorded, “their relationship was, collusion…. a system of deals and trade-offs, tacitly agreed to and carried out, for the most part, without the exchange of a word. Preferring avoidance to confrontation on most issues, O’Keeffe was the principal agent of collusion in their union”.

Artists are often sentimental and somewhat akin to delicate creepers of infinite tenderness and beauty. They naturally seek the support of a firm and strong mentor. But O’Keeffe’s natural flair, talent, and passion for painting ensured her mentorship could never substitute her fiercely independent mind and rare resolve.

Free from her emotional baggage and having established herself as a painter and artist of exceptional merit, talent, and accomplishments, she moved out of Stieglitz’s shadow. O’Keeffe did not revisit New York’s horizon in her works once she moved to New Mexico in 1929.

New Mexico

The New Mexico landscapes were to be her next home and inspiration. She stayed in Taos and explored the rugged terrains, mountains and deserts, making it the subject and inspiration for some of her best-known paintings. Her famous oil, The Lawrence Tree, was completed after her visit to the nearby D.H. Lawrence Ranch. She also made several paintings of the local church, offering a unique perspective to this genre as it amalgamated structure and sky in silhouettes of superb intensity.

Images of animal skulls, strewn across the desert, were inspired paintings such as Cow’s Skull: Red, White, and Blue and Ram’s Head, White Hollyhock, and Little Hills. She collected rocks and bones from the desert floor and added them as subjects in her work. She often talked about her fondness for Ghost Ranch and Northern New Mexico. A loner by now, O’Keeffe often explored the land she loved in a Ford Model A, which she purchased and learned to drive in 1929.

Her creations during her time in New Mexico and Abiquiú supplemented and strengthened her reputation as a painter who could see objects like few others could and translate them on canvas in a way that left the viewer both perplexed and exultant.

Last Days

In 1973, O’Keeffe hired John Bruce ‘Juan’ Hamilton as a live-in assistant and caretaker. Juan was a potter, divorced, broke and fifty-eight years her junior. Now in her final days, Juan’s presence served as a catalyst to O’Keeffe. She learnt from him working with clay. She was encouraged to resume painting despite her deteriorating eyesight, and finished her autobiography, all with his assistance. He was to stay with her for thirteen years till her death

In the latter half of her 90s and increasingly getting frail and weak, O’Keeffe moved to Santa Fe in 1984 where she died two years later on March 6, 1986. Her ashes were scattered on the land around Ghost Ranch, a place about which she wrote “… such a beautiful, untouched lonely feeling place, such a fine part of what I call the ‘Faraway’. It is a place I have painted before … even now I must do it again.”

Legacy

O’Keeffe was a true legend, known as much for her independent spirit and fierce femininity as for her dramatic and innovative works of art. In each phase of her painting journey, she was audacious and different. Her uncommon genius for giving a surreal hue and sublimity to simple natural objects like flowers, leaves and rocks defined her craft.

Her paintings today enjoy iconic status and even now command unusually high biddings. Almost three decades after her death, O’Keeffe’s 1932 painting Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 sold for $44,405,000 in 2014, more than three times the previous world auction record for any female artist. Her unprecedented acceptance as an artist was due to her own talent, powerful graphic expression, and extraordinary depiction; not due to her gender, as she herself took pains to ensure, disliking being called a ‘woman artist’ and insisting on just ‘artist’.

But O’Keeffe’s true celebration lies in her making her life a cascade of bold statements. Credited for practising pure abstraction, O’Keeffe’s legacy is far richer, both splendid and dazzling in its range and opulence. At a time when few artists were exploring abstractions, her experimentations were strikingly original and far ahead of their time. Displaying elements of surrealism and Precisionism, she perfected a synthesis uniquely her own, wherein her idiosyncratic contributions to the modern world of art lie.

Another gem from the pen of Uday Varma, Former I&B secretary, writing exclusively for us, on women in history overlooked by omission or distortion!

This article is part of a series on women through history by author Uday Kumar Varma, former secretary of the Ministry of Information & broadcasting and MSME, Government of India. An ardent proponent of gender equity, Varma writes on women through history who have excelled in their area of passion and defied conventions. You may also like to read about the woman who triggered the abolishment of slavery, Harriet Beecher Stowe, activist Emmeline Pankhurst from England, the lady sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko from Russia,  the American pilot Amelia Earhart or Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg or just maybe a piece on the Spanish artist  Frida Kahloor Artemisia from Italy? And you must read the story of Mata Hari from the Netherlands– “Harlot? Oui! Mais traitoress, jamais!” ‘Courtesan! Yes; Spy, never!’

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