Chronicles from Kadak: The third gender, a plant and God(?)
‘Aloe Vera and The Void’, by Renuka Rajiv and Aarthi Parthasarathy, is a series of illustrations showcased in the Kadak Reading Room at Gender Bender 2016. The Reading Room is the online display of projects by the Kadak Collective, exhibited at the Goethe-Institut, Bangalore on September 3rd and 4th.
Woven around themes of belief, god and exclusion, ‘Aloe Vera and The Void’ is a marvellous journey from shades of skepticism to a tinge of hope. The first chapter records a conversation with Purushi — a transgender woman who lives in Bangalore. Through the lens of exclusion, Parthasarathy and Rajiv trace the complexities of caste discrimination and monetary benefits.
Gender curiosity stemming from a fixed gender binary, and concepts of belief and God enhance the convolutions of this work of art. Aloe vera, a miracle of a plant, very unexpectedly ties together the fabric of the narrative, giving us a fresh platter of thoughts to delve in.
Through the simple Q&A pattern of these illustrations, art and awareness intertwine into a ‘miraculous’ confluence.
So what are you waiting for? Get comfy in The Reading Room at Gender Bender 2016 as this tale on ‘Aloe vera’ leaves a pleasant ‘Void’ in your heart!
