How Women Are Reclaiming Public Spaces In Bengaluru, Thanks To This Art Project

"I have always witnessed the gender divide on the streets," said artist Indu Antony.

When Bengaluru-based artist Indu Antony put together Cecilia'ed - her project that focuses on the safety of women in public spaces - she knew it would not start an overnight revolution, nor bring about a sudden change in deeply-entrenched patriarchal notions. Instead, she hoped to draw attention to the subtle ways in which women are excluded from male-dominated public spaces - and she did just that with the help of her friend, the flamboyant, 76-year-old Cecilia. Together, the two have created a buzz by hosting 'reopening' ceremonies for streets that are considered unsafe for women. "I started the project in the area where I live. I have always witnessed the gender divide on the streets. Personally, once I collected information from the police, media, and the public, it was clear that women are unsafe in street corners, dark alleys, around bars and such," Indu told The New Indian Express.  Cecilia is at the heart of Indu Antony's project. Dressed in colourful outfits, all of which she styled herself, Cecilia transforms into a celebrity who drops by in fancy cars to 'reopen' streets for women. "When a politician or a celebrity appears in a public space, a crowd gathers around them. So, I transformed Cecilia into a celebrity and conducted street reopening events to create an audience for the larger issue - safety and freedom of women," explained Indu.