Feminist Futures: Art, Activism, and South Asian Womanhood is an exhibition of ten visionary women artists from across South Asia whose work critically confronts the complex intersections of contemporary feminist thought and the deeply rooted societal structures in the region. The exhibition interrogates the nuanced dynamics of gendered power, exploring themes of patriarchy, colonial legacies, and socio-religious constructs through the lens of art and activism.
Read the curatorial statement here!
View what the artists said about their work
The Taragaon Cultural Center in Nepal exhibited a transformative exhibition curated by art historian Dr. Arshiya Lokhandwala, ‘Feminist Futures: Art, Activism, and South Asian Womanhood’.
This exhibition showcased the powerful voices of ten South Asian artists including Anita Dube, Anoli Perera, Ashmina Ranjit, Bidhata KC, Mithu Sen, Naiza Khan, Pushpamala N, Sheba Chhachhi , Tayeba Begum Lipi, and Uma Bista, who critically engage with gendered histories, social inequities encountered by women in the region.
Feminist Futures interrogates systemic violence, gender inequality, and cultural taboos, while also celebrating the resilience, autonomy, and solidarity of women in a region where patriarchy and colonial histories have shaped lived realities. Each artist’s work stands as a response to these deeply entrenched issues, offering insights into the ways art can catalyze social transformation and resistance, therefore serves as a critical space for reflection and dialogue, exploring the intersections of art, politics, and resistance within the context of South Asian womanhood.
In a cultural context where women’s experiences are often sidelined or stigmatized, Feminist Futures urges viewers to re-evaluate their understanding of power, freedom, and gender. It underscores the resilience and creativity of South Asian women as they navigate societal constraints, reclaim autonomy, and contribute to a growing wave of feminist activism across the region. This exhibition is not only an homage to the strength of South Asian women but a call to action for solidarity, justice, and a radical re-imagining of the future.
Guided Tours for Feminist Futures were held every week for the duration of the exhibition. Visitors were able to gain insight into their artists' process, the cultural contexts of the exhibition and what feminism looks like in Nepal.
Feminist Futures: Art, Activism, and South Asian Womanhood traveled to Colombo, Sri Lanka and was on view from September 26th, 2025 – October 8, 2025 at the Lotus Gallery, National Museum.
This exhibition was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo.
Curated by Dr. Arshiya Lokhandwala, Feminist Futures, features 10 female artists from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and was on view at Taragaon Next from January 25, 2025 to May 31, 2025.
Dr. Lokhandwala is an art historian, curator, and founding director of Lakeeren Gallery, Mumbai. Her notable curatorial projects include Prussian Blue: A Serendipitous Color that Altered the Trajectory of Art (KNMA, 2023), The Archaeology of the Self: Archives, Anarchives and the Artist (2023 amongst others. Her exhibition Re-Worlded: Seventy Years of Investigating a Nation (2017) earned her the Curator of the Year Award by India Today. She has also curated After Midnight: Indian Modernism to Contemporary India 1947/1997 at the Queens Museum (2015). Since 2019, she has lectured at the Art Institute of Chicago, teaching South Asian Art and Postcolonial Studies. With over 300 curated exhibitions, Dr. Lokhandwala writes extensively on globalization, feminism, and postcolonial studies
