Female foeticide has been explored as a subject by Indian artists over the years, but usually through individual initiatives. On February 20, at the Convention Foyer of the India Habitat Centre, however, on display will be canvases by over 50 art students moved by the alarming issue of skewed sex ratio across India. “The idea was to get different interpretations and we sought participation from the youth,” says Alka Tomar, deputy director at Center for Media Studies that has conceived the project with the United Nations Population Fund.

Titled ‘Delighting in Daughters’, the exhibition, which will feature 55 paintings, is an outcome of a national competition held in 56 colleges in 50 cities. The jury headed by artist Anjolie Ela Menon, comprised art academician Avneet Gandhi and curator Sushma Bahl amid others. “We wanted to spread knowledge about the issue through art. Involvement of the student community ensured awareness in that segment,”

explains Tomar, as she readies for the exhibition that will feature a ceremony for winners of the competition. “We hope that the understanding of the issue will deepen among young students who would be in a position of influence after some years and can use the platform to further the cause of the girl child,” says Ena Singh, representative from United Nations Population Fund. Vijayaraghavan.S, who is pursuing his final year MFA at College of Art, Delhi, adds, “The initiative gave us access to a lot of information regarding the issue.” In his acrylic and rice paper on canvas titled Basket Invites, he has projected the womb of a woman as a basket and a girl child as a fruit inside it.