Mayuri Chari and Janhavi Khemka’s creations showcase distinct styles. However, their art is driven by strong perspectives shaped by their individual encounters with issues related to gender, disability, and family dynamics—and they are both establishing notable reputations in the field.
“Art is my access”: Janhavi Khemka
Janhavi Khemka draws endless inspiration from her mother as an artist. Some of her fondest early recollections related to art include moments spent with her mother: “She assisted me with my homework by elaborating on the concepts using hand gestures, facial expressions, and physical movements.”
Khemka (as shown on the upper right), who was born in
Varanasi
In 1993, India is deaf. At a young age, her mother taught her lip-reading in Hindi and supported her creative pursuits. However, her mother passed away when India was 15 years old.
The influence she had on me assisted me in maneuvering through an able-bodied environment, which further fueled my artistic expression via light, touch, experimental sounds, and tactile media,” Khemka stated in a written interview with ChinPao.
In this vibrant world, Khemka is establishing her reputation as an interdisciplinary artist who works with a wide range of media including woodcuts, paintings, performances, and animations. She obtained her Master of Fine Arts degree from the esteemed School of the Art Institute of Chicago after previously earning another MFA from Visva-Bharati University located in Santiniketan, West Bengal. This university has a rich heritage tied closely to Indian customs and traditions.
Santiniketan unveiled a fresh horizon for me since it marked my initial departure from home. This experience fostered my development and aided in grasping how my disability molds my sense of self. The transformational journey allowed me to broaden my viewpoints, forge connections with individuals and artists, and intensify my involvement with the arts.
Friends and mentors have backed Khemka’s journey as an artist, yet she continues to encounter challenges.
absence of accessibility and being “always self-conscious,” along with constantly having to articulate her experiences to others, which can be “draining.”
Khemka’s artwork has been showcased in various solo and group shows. Many pieces reflect her experience as someone who is hearing impaired and perceives sound via vibrations. Among her creations, such as “Impress/ion” and “Your name, please?”, some are interactive, engaging individuals directly.
In 2021, she unveiled “Letter to My Mother,” a work featuring a vibrating surface decorated with projected animated lights forming wooden-cut print lips. This piece reflects how her mother instructed her in lip reading using a floor mat. To her, this artwork represents a deeply personal connection with her mother that transcends verbal expression. Viewers can perceive sound through touch and gain insight into an intimate episode from the artist’s past.
Khemka states that his biggest achievement is feeling at ease in life, allowing him to move about freely and with self-assurance.
“A woman isn’t made ready from birth; she is crafted”: Mayuri Chari
An existence marked by freedom and confidence: This is continually what conceptual artist Mayuri Chari aspire to achieve for herself as a woman—and for all women around the world.
She likes using the word “priorities” instead of “success.” Her priorities shine through her art, concentrating on the female form and conveying messages that she wishes to share, rather than what others expect her to communicate.
Actually, they don’t always appreciate what her artwork conveys.
Regardless of whether it’s via print, fabric, film, or even cow dung, Chari explores and questions
the perception, placement, and treatment of women
through different levels of Indian society.
These are not stories or fables,” she states regarding the messages in her art concerning women. “They depict real life.
During her Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Hyderabad, she began exploring the female form as an artistic theme. For a presentation at the end of one semester, she created big prints featuring images of her own body. From an aesthetic perspective, she focused on aspects like texture and color. However, according to her, her peers and others who viewed the works perceived them differently; they found them distasteful and advised against publicly displaying such pieces.
Her reply merely fueled her contemplation further. “I began to wonder: Why do individuals view the human body as obscene or sexual? Why not see it as an artistic expression?” she shared during a telephone conversation with ChinPoa from her residence in rural Maharashtra.
In Chari’s creations, the female form embodies neither divinity nor commercial allure; instead, it serves as a testament to personal consciousness. Nonetheless, her artwork has sparked controversy in India due to its portrayal of naked women—depicted realistically with their imperfections and assertiveness. As a result, Indian galleries have declined to showcase her pieces, and organizers of exhibitions have demanded she take down some artworks.
Despite such institutional rejection, her work resonates strongly with Indian women, who see themselves and their experiences reflected in her art. Chari says that women often come up to her at shows and whisper in her ear, “I feel the same thing. This happens to me, also.”
In recent years, her work has attracted global recognition. She showcased her installation titled “I WAS NOT CREATED FOR PLEASURE” during the 12th Berlin Biennale in 2022, and will be participating as an artist-in-residence at the 2024 India Art Fair.
Like Janhavi Khemka, Chari’s family also influenced her path as an artist — though not always positively. Born in the coastal state of
Goa
In 1991, young Chari frequently observed and assisted her father, who was a carpenter, as he crafted furniture and woodcarvings. At school, she began creating artwork herself, receiving encouragement from her instructors.
However, following her father’s death, Chari faced opposition from her family—especially her senior uncle—who forbade her from advancing her education further. Despite this prohibition, she chose not to comply and pursued higher studies secretly. With assistance from friends and through securing various scholarships, she successfully earned a master’s degree in fine arts. Later, when she married another artist named Prabhakar Kamble, he became an essential source of encouragement and resources during the initial stages of her career outside academia.
Although Chari’s research focuses on how societies place women, she believes that caste plays a more significant role than gender in shaping her reception.
“Your entire situation hinges on your caste background. Since I was born into a lower caste, major art galleries often favor those from higher castes. These galleries tend to pay attention to individuals from privileged backgrounds and prefer those with strong English skills and substantial financial resources,” she elaborates.
Guidance for up-and-coming young artists
Currently, Chari is involved in several initiatives. One of these includes producing a brief documentary focused on the experiences of women working as sugarcane laborers in rural areas. Additionally, she has embarked on textile ventures centered around trousseau-making—a traditional embroidery technique introduced to her native state of Goa by Portuguese colonists, which has been preserved over generations through mothers teaching their daughters. This skill was one that Chari acquired directly from her own mother.
Janhavi Khemka’s mother will remain actively involved in her endeavors. She plans to create a film in the future utilizing woodcut print animation to depict their connection. Based on her personal journey, she advises emerging artists to confront failures bravely, maintain patience and hope, and prepare themselves to tackle challenges directly.
For her part, Chari encourages young artists to maintain their independence and think freely. She states, “They should not merely follow others or replicate the thoughts, ideas, or actions of other artists.”
Edited by: Brenda Haas
Author: Cristina Burack
