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Women channel their 'inner Kahlo' through backyard art
Efi Sri Handayani, manager of the Purplecode’s collective space, said that having a safe place for women to express themselves was important.
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Self expression: People take part in the first Art in the Backyard event hosted by the Purplecode community in Tebet, South Jakarta. Anyone who wants to draw or paint is invited to join the bi-monthly event. (The Jakarta Post/Eisya Asshafina Eloksari)
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quipped with coloring pencils and brushes, a few women gather to draw their hearts out on a lazy Saturday afternoon in an event called Art in the Backyard that was held by Purplecode Community in its collective space in Tebet, South Jakarta.
The event aimed at providing space for anyone, especially women, who wanted to express themselves through drawing and painting.
On their first gathering, six women sat around a wooden table in the backyard garden of the space, barefoot and surrounded by plants. These ladies showed their creativity in different styles of drawing such as with stencils and watercolor paints.
Embodying the spirit of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist and feminist icon, whose picture was put on display inside the space, these women also believed in art as a form of self-expression and in the importance of fighting for women’s rights.
Efi Sri Handayani, manager of the Purplecode’s collective space, said that having a safe place for women to express themselves was important.
“Women can gather and express themselves freely without having to deal with sexist comments,” she said.
“They can talk about women’s issues and be more relaxed as they are surrounded by other women.”
