Sonabai: Another Way of Seeing - Dr. Stephen Huyler

Thu, 10/18/2018 - 1:28pm

When: September 6, 2018 at the Downtown Library

As part of the Rasa Festival, Dr. Stephen Huyler presents a fascinating talk that recounts an amazing story of the discovery of a rural Indian woman's beautiful art.

While imprisoned by her husband for fifteen years, a woman in central India invented an entirely new art form that expresses life's joy. Although Sonabai was illiterate and untrained, her artistic vision is now globally acknowledged. Her work has been the agent of significant social and economic improvement in her region. Sonabai's astonishing story confronts us with our own choices: do we allow ourselves to be victimized by our current issues or can we use our own inner resources to find creative solutions?

An exhibition of Sonabai's art was on view at the Riverside Art Center in Ypsilanti throughout the month of September 2018.

About Dr. Stephen Huyler:

Dr. Stephen P. Huyler has spent many months of each of the past 46 years conducting field research into India's traditional arts with a particular focus on Indian women's art and identity. He has published eight books, created several films and curated more than 30 exhibitions of Indian art at museums across the world.  He states that his work with Sonabai changed his vision of the world and possibilities for our future.

Rasa is an innovative India-themed multi-arts festival, produced by Akshara, and held annually in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. For more information, see rasafestival.org.