PUNE: India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), in collaboration with Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture and ARISA Foundation, presented Her Canvas, Her City on Sunday, 7 September 2025 at Zapurza’s 9th Gallery. The panel featured Gayatri Tambe Deshpande, Vaishali Oak, and Shilpa Joglekar, and was moderated by Prafull Botre.
The session is part of the Foundation Project implemented by IFA under its Archives and Museums programme with Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture, coordinated by Kohinoor Darda, cognitive neuroscientist, neuro-aesthetician, performing artist, and founder of ARISA Foundation. The project examines Pune’s artistic legacy through exhibitions, research, and public programmes.
Highlights from the discussion
“Artists often work in pockets, but to bring them together and create synergy, we need spaces like this museum,” observed Shilpa Joglekar, highlighting the importance of community in Pune’s art world. The discussion also situated women’s work within the broader legacy of the city — while Pune has long been celebrated for its contributions to literary arts and theatre, the voices and practices of visual artists have remained underrepresented. This panel sought to redress that imbalance by foregrounding women’s contributions.
The panel also debated the role of social media in shaping art viewership. While acknowledging its reach, the artists cautioned against its superficiality.
“Social media allows you to put your process out there, but it can also trivialise the artwork. Looking at art requires time, attention, and presence,” said Gayatri Tambe Deshpande.
“Many viewers today see exhibitions as colourful backdrops for Instagram reels, without really engaging with the work,” added Vaishali Oak.
The conversation expanded to accessibility in the arts, underlining the need to take art beyond galleries.
“The white cube can feel alienating. Bringing art into public spaces makes it accessible to everyone, creating a new visual culture,” noted Shilpa Joglekar.
The panel concluded with reflections on technology and tradition. The artists agreed that while tools like AI can support artistic processes, they cannot replace the role of the artist.
“AI is just another medium. It can save time and offer possibilities, but art still comes from lived experience and human connection,” said Gayatri Tambe Deshpande.
The discussion took place alongside the exhibition Pune’s Artistic Legacy Part 3: Women Artists of Pune, on view at Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture until 10 September 2025. The exhibition features ceramics, textiles, paintings, illustrations, and more — led by themes of memory, nature, material, and movement — and invites audiences to read the city’s art history through women’s practices.