Published on 07:00 PM, December 10, 2015

'Gun pointed at the Uterus': Dilara Begum Jolly’s solo art exhibition

Artist Dilara Begum Jolly is a performer, story teller and activist. Her solo exhibition named "Amorar Akkhyan" an untold story on the violation of women during 1971 is going to be launched at Bengal Arts Percinet of the Daily Star Centre on December 12th. Photo: STAR/ZAHED KHAN

Even today a woman’s life revolves around a patriarchal society where her voice is lost because her decisions are already taken by someone else.  

The genocide and rape of 1971 which is still fresh in our memories, say a lot about a woman’s struggle. More than two lakh women had to surrender their uterus to the torture of the enemy forces. They resisted but all in vain.

Artist Dilara Begum Jolly's solo exhibition of paintings, pictures, sculptures and performance launches saturday  at 6:00pm to tell the stories of these violated uteruses.

In an interview with the Daily Star she said, “I have named my exhibition Amorar Akkhyan, to portray the struggle of the uterus- the battle our women fought during the 1971 Liberation War.  

Dilara, who was born and raised in Chittagong, said she was 10 years old during the 1971 Liberation War.

"At that time, I did not know much about the atrocities against women by the Pakistani Army and their local collaborators until much later, when a friend told me of Dalim Bhaban.  

The artist chose notorious Al-Badr commander Mir Quasem Ali's Dalim Bhaban, the then torture cell as her subject of exhibition.

“I have tried to bring out the agony of an abused woman, her fear of rejection by the society as she was no longer pure, and the unwanted yet unavoidable pregnancy causing the birth of a war baby, who is an outcast in society for no fault of his own”, she explained.

Dilara said that women acround the world had their uteruses injured forcefully during times of war. Amorar Akkhyan is a tribute to all those women who survived this brutality with their outstanding bravery.

The exhibition, which comprises of sculptures, artwork and performance art will be open for all on 12th December, 2015 at the Daily Star Centre and continue till the 9th January 2016 from 10:00am to 10:00pm.