13th Kitty Party – Exhibition

The Homelabour Collective (formerly known as just The collective) began as a gathering ground for artists. When we began in August 2024 it was three of us,Advithi Emmi, Dhanya Rajaram, and Seema Jain. We met at regular intervals(almost every weekend) and talked about a chosen subject(we got turns to choose) for twelve weeks. There were no boundaries on how to respond, and anything from simply asking questions to creating something physical or palpable was acceptable. 

Showing up in the body or as a digital presence( if one was traveling and away) was the only rule, as such to join our group. Other artists joined in occasionally, but we three were the regulars and hence this exhibition showcases our collective repertoire.  

The ‘Kitty’ in the 13th Kitty Party, etymologically stands for money that women collected and kept with their friends for safekeeping after the Partition. If you thought it means women having fun, then that is true too.

_{The exhibition opened with food cooked by Ramya Devi M whom we consider an integral participant and artist who added to our exhibition. Her cooking and the experience of eating is very much art for us.}

13th Kitty Party

This exhibition focuses on the female experience of the world. The Thirteenth Kitty Party commemorates the end of twelve discourses, verbal, creative, and performative that we three, Advithi Emmi, Dhanya Rajaram, and Seema Jain, held together as The Collective, from August to November 2024.

The show’s title was inspired by a serendipitous offhand remark about our meetings, that we were hosting ‘Kitty Parties’. The remark and tone were meant to imply that our discourse was not ‘serious’ or genuinely artistic.

We felt it would be a good move to gently allow everyone to check their implicit biases towards women and language. Interestingly Kitty Parties have an impressive history.

In this exhibition, you will see materials and methods often associated with women’s craft. Much of the work is self- referential and has to do with personal history. Sense of home, family, environment, one’s place, and identity in Art and the world at large are some of the themes that the exhibition touches on. You will also see many components from life and the natural world. Many works were made as part of our meetings, some are new responses. We hope the Collective’s work adds to widening your worldview, just as it did to ours.

Dhanya Rajaram

NOT EXHIBITED. WORKS MADE FOR AND EXHIBITED DURING OUR MEETINGS.