Artist Bhawana Jain reflects spirit of women’s charity, Solace
LDO is a long standing supporter of Solace – a London-based charity that supports women and children escaping domestic abuse.
We commissioned artist Bhawana Jain to be inspired by the work of Solace to create a large-scale artwork based on the theme “What does someone carry that isn’t visible?
Bhawana Jain is a multidisciplinary artist from India, now based in London. Working across installation, performance, drawing, sound and photography, her practice explores the relationships between people, places and cultures, using art to imagine new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.
Her work captures a moment where she felt freedom – to exist beyond the expectations that often shape women’s lives.
The Central Saint Martins art graduate explained: “I hope the work communicates that every woman deserves to feel expansive… I hope the work invites others to question what has been normalised, to reclaim space for themselves, and to believe that another way of being is possible.
“The photograph captures a moment from a live performance rather than a staged composition…during the performance, I played Sulur, a carved bamboo wind instrument from the Gond community of Chhattisgarh. Within this work, it became a way of listening, moving and occupying space.”
Bhawana is one of two artists commissioned to produce large-scale artworks, transforming one of LDO’s busiest public spaces into an open-air gallery.
LDO is on a mission to be a mentally healthy shopping centre, a space where our community can feel seen, supported and inspired.
Through the artists’ own creative perspectives, we invite our guests to pause for reflection, connection and conversation.
We’d love to know what they mean to you, snap a photo on your next visit, share it on social media, and don’t forget to tag us.
The title of the film is A Rehearsal for Azadi 0.1. Azadi translates to “freedom” in Urdu, and Bhawana has used “0.1” as she sees this as the beginning of a continuing series of works that she would like to develop further.
A Rehearsal for Azadi 0.1
Film by Bhawana Jain
Direction · Editing · Performance · Installation ~ Bhawana Jain
Drone Videography ~ Abhi Raj Nalluru
Sound ~ Rajat Jain
