Chennai, Oct 28 (BPNS)

Paintings of transpersons from Tamil Nadu and Kerala will be exhibited at the prestigious South Florida University. The paintings of these transpersons were selected for featuring in the art exhibition to be held at the university to be held from November 20 to April 20.

The artists have already petitioned the M.K. Stalin government for financial support as they don’t have money to participate in the exhibition on their own.

The paintings of a transwoman, Kalki Subramaniam, Abhinaya, Rupakala, Silky Prema, Sandhya, Ramba, and a transman, Ramesh. Paintings by a transwoman from Kerala, Saji Varrier will also be featured at the art exhibition. Among this, transwoman, Abhinaya who was suffering from some illness passed away and her paintings will also be featured in the exhibition.

The topic is “ Visibility and Remembrance: Standing with the Trans community”..

Transwoman activist and one of the painters whose work is being exhibited at South Florida University, Kalki Subramaniam while speaking to BPNS said, “This is a great honour. 25 entries were submitted from transpersons of India and 8 got selected.”

Kalki, who is a painter, writer, author, and speaker and who have been at the forefront of agitations and struggles for the trans community said that Abhinaya, who passed away had sketched the painting that got selected in the South Florida exhibition 3 years ago.

She said, “ Abhinaya has got the recognition posthumously and she had sketched this three years ago.”

Kalki said that the selected paintings will be exhibited on the website of the university also.

The transpersons are planning to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for financial assistance to attend the exhibition at South Florida University.