"कुछ इस अंदाज़ से सय्याद ने आज़ाद किया

जो चले छुट के क़फ़स से वो गिरफ़्तार चले”

-Mubarak Azimabadi

[Translation: Captor has set them free in such a way; that they flew out of the cage but are hostages still]

Different forms of artistic expression have played a cardinal role in social movements against inequality, oppression, and injustice, all throughout history. These art forms have lent social justice movements much-needed traction, thereby promoting, informing, and shaping social change. Be it the renaissance movement, Women’s Rights Movement, Black Lives Matter Movement, Queer Art Movement, or even the Swadeshi movement. These artworks not only document the grim realities of systemic oppression but offer scope into the agony of lived experiences. There is beauty in their candid vulnerabilities yet stern defiance against historic systemic oppression that has cost their communities-the right to life, including the right to live with dignity.

This exhibition attempts to showcase artworks from artists that let us in on these very experiences. These artworks speak to horrors of marginalization on the basis gender, caste, disability, and identity, and offer an alternative where the future doesn’t have to be unjust. We bring this exhibition to celebrate the resilience, defiance, solidarity, and tenacity of the marginalised communities

Also, Social innovations in the law and justice space are not monolithic. In fact, many movement leaders in this sector have always expressed through art their craft of addressing larger social issues leading to systemic and mindset shift. This event is an attempt to capture a glimpse of a complex yet remarkable movement led by communities.