The artwork here presents an innovative visualization of gender-based violence in Dharavi, Mumbai – Asia's biggest slum. It was made of scrap denim pieces and found objects on a map with a visual record of the experiences the residents have faced. This activity was part of a workshop conducted by an NGO to reflect on violence against women wherein they used embroidery and applique to patch pieces together which resulted in an embroidered quilt of connected stories.
One of the victims who sewed her story into an artwork helped her convey these incidents which are still seen as a social taboo and feeling a little bit more confident talking about these experiences that scarred them in some ways.
The intersectional perspective here signifies violence against a particular gender of a social system that curtails the basic human rights of women and girls. The issue is so deeply embedded in their everyday life experiences that it is almost overlooked/underlined. The intersectional lens here underscores how such violence shapes these urban spaces and gender relations ensuring that the struggle for justice and equity among women no matter where or to what degree, continues to be rooted in everyday life.
