Bengaluru’s Aravani Art Project has been lifting up the transgender community through art and culture by making them leave a mark on it.
Story so far: Run by both trans and cis women, the Aravani Art Project has been tagging the streets of several cities, including Bengaluru, for the past six years now. The streetside murals are usually bright and joyful and sometimes feature the artists’ faces. You can check their projects out here.
- This year, one of their projects was a 50ft mural at the India Art Fair. And their reach doesn’t just stop there.
- Yet, the artists have made it clear that life is no cakewalk for them. Despite all the applause, receiving permits for their work is still very challenging.
The silver lining: According to the artists, what used to be disgust from onlookers has given way to curiosity. People often strike up conversations with anybody armed with a paintbrush and sometimes even get involved in the art. Clearly, they’re out there changing minds and attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community.