When an octogenarian artist picks up a brush and takes a strong stand against female foeticide, you automatically sit up and take notice.
Presenting a rather sunny picture of old age is city-based artist and social activist, Shakuntala Patade, best known for her women-centric works. She is still persistent and strong in her endeavour to help women.
“I am growing younger by the day,’’ says Patade when asked about her age. Her first brush with the ‘brush’ happened in her late 40s, when she was a teacher in Mumbai. She is currently busy with her latest series of paintings on female foeticide.
“It pains me to see such a criminal act so rampant, so I want to do my bit to raise funds or reach out to young girls who will be mothers some day. They should be happy to be mothers of daughters,’’ says Shakutai, who is looking at collaborating with an organisation which can hold a fund-raising exhibition.
“Can you get me an appointment with Supriya Sule? I read she is working to stop female foeticide,’’ she asks innocently.
And this isn’t the typical ‘age-concealer’ response often attributed to women. “I am tired of being hailed, and written about, as a super-artist who paints despite ‘shivering’ hands. I don’t want sympathy for my art, I want my work to speak for itself,’’ says Patade, who is fondly called Shakutai.
