Social exclusion was the least of his worries. The biggest perturbation was his failing health but Raunak Pal never uttered a word. Money was imperative, not so much his life, he said. So, he went about dunking himself into a mountain of human excreta until he had earned his day’s living. Manual scavenging was banned in India 25 years ago with the passing of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993, but it continues to claim helpless lives.
It’s one of those invisible forms of caste-based violence that Dalits and Scheduled Tribes face every day. And it’s not just them. Countless women, children, refugees, destitute, activists and others, face the wrath of violence every day. Painting the stories of their fate is an exhibition called Art of Violence, at Select City Walk mall, which exposes the grim reality of human trafficking, bonded labour, and domestic violence.
Art has a unique way of challenging society’s long-held oppressions through advocacy. Big ideas are canvassed for greater inclusion. It arrests faulty thinking and urges us to look at things through a prism of introspection.
“Art is hidden inside all of us, but modern societies aren’t good at expressing it. That’s why we were strategic about holding this exhibition at a mall where passersby pause and reflect on violence, an epidemic of the 21st century,” says Shantanu Dutta, Director, Thought Leadership Initiatives, International Justice Mission, the body presenting the show.
It’s about an all-encompassing approach to addressing the entire spectrum of violence. Art, in this respect, can be a force combating violence, but also someday, be a substitute for it. “CCTVs cannot be put up in every corner of the city. Every individual has to be the eyes and ears for authority to take action,” says Dutta.
Understanding that violence has serious consequences is the starting point of change. It’s not about physical injuries but mental isolation too. Whether it’s the physical and direct form of violence you see in Syria or the verbal type a child faces at the hands of a bully, violence has long-term repercussions. And that’s why it is important to never let the conversions around it fade to oblivion. Keeping in step with this, the exhibition urges us all to become stakeholders of a violence-free world.
Besides the visual showcase, survivors of violence will be present at the exhibition. These are the fortunate few who fought their circumstances in a bid to have a better life. They showcase their merchandise including products for sale.