LUCKNOW The popularity of pink saree crusaders fighting against oppression is transcending borders. Gulabi Gang, the Bundelkhand-based group of lathi-wielding vigilantes that struck fear into the hearts of potential abusers has now drawn the attention of a Danish artist and painter Maria Torp.
Torp, 47, has travelled approximately 7000 km from Copenhagen to Gulabi Gang founder Sampat Pal’s (63) house in UP’s Banda to create a painting of the latter for a year-long international exhibition at Trapholt Museum in Denmark in 2024.
Sampat Pal’s painting is one of the 12 paintings that the Danish artist is creating under a global art project titled ‘Shaping A Pattern’ over the last six years. It portrays women’s rights, social status and their living conditions.
“Along with filmed interviews and soundscapes, the paintings will form the core of an exhibition opening and travel to the UN HQ in NYC, Africa, France Africa among other countries,” said Maria Torp.
“Shaping A Pattern, revolves around 12 large hyper realistic oil paintings, where I will be portraying 12 significant individuals from all over the world, who played a crucial role in the field of gender equality,” informed the artist who studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and London College of Painting.
Maria is accompanied by her photographer who will take 500-600 photographs of Sampat Pal. The artist will later use these for the painting which will take two months to complete. “I will spend a week with her so that I can personally know her and about her works,” she said. “Maria will be staying at my home all this while, and she is really enjoying the desi Indian cuisines,” said Sampat.
Maria has so far met nine of the 12 personalities in different countries, with Sampat being the 10th while two others are yet to be decided. The nine in the list whom Maria visited are Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in South Africa, executive director, UN Women (2013-21) and former vice-president of South Africa; Ziauddin Yousafzai, an activist in Pakistan, father of Malala, Xiong Jing, activist from China; Rhobi Samwelly, Tanzania, founder of Safehouses for girls fleeing FGM; Katja Iversen in Denmark, former president/CEO at Women Deliver; Sonita Alizadeh, Afghanistan, rapper, activist and ‘Girls Not Brides’ champion; Marta Alanis, Argentina, founder of Catholics for choice (Argentina), Keyperson in the campaign for Legal Abortion, Michael Kimmel, USA, professor of sociology and gender studies; Inna Shevchenko, Ukraine, activist and leader of the international women’s movement; FEMEN.
The Gulabi Gang is a popular vigilante movement in villages of Bundelkhand region of UP. It was launched to seek justice against those accused of “committing atrocities against women” or indulging in corruption etc. Sampat Pal had launched the movement in Banda in 2006 that drew global attention.
“I have heard a lot about Sampat and have watched documentaries on Gulabi Gang. Then I coordinated with various human rights organisations, and after struggling for six months, got her contact,” added the artist.