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South Asian Women's Creative Collective

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The South Asian Women’s Creative Collective (SAWCC) is a non-profit arts organization based in New York City. It is dedicated to supporting emerging and established South Asian women artists and creative professionals by providing both physical and virtual spaces to showcase their works.

History

SAWCC was founded in 1997 by American artist Jaishri Abichandani in New York City.[1] The first meeting was held in March at the Sister Fund offices in Manhattan, attended by fourteen South Asian women of various ages and sexual orientations, including members of Sakhi for South Asian Women and the South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association. The group began meeting monthly at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop to showcase their work. SAWCC’s first public event was a festival for women of color at the Audre Lorde Project in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, followed by its first annual visual art and performance festival, Karmakollage, held at the Gallery at 678, which attracted over 400 attendees.[2]

Within a year and a half, a volunteer board was established, and SAWCC applied for non-profit status, becoming incorporated. In February 2000, an online list for South Asian women artists and creative professionals was created, which grew to include over 500 members. SAWCC’s main writing workshop, Brown Eyed Girls, was initiated in 2002, and a studio circle for visual artists began in 2006. By 2012, SAWCC’s events were reaching an annual audience of over 5,000,[2] and their Facebook group had over 6,000 members.[3]

SAWCC has drawn inspiration from activist groups such as the Black Arts Movement in the UK and the South Asian arts festival Desh Pardesh in Toronto. According to founder Abichandani, SAWCC distinguishes itself from other local organizations by providing a feminist space dedicated to South Asian women in the arts.[3] SAWCC has received support from notable artists such as Shazia Sikander; writer Jhumpa Lahiri; and filmmaker Mira Nair, who donated an advance screening of her 2001 film Monsoon Wedding to raise funds for the collective. Many founding board members, including Prerena Reddy, were also deeply involved in the arts.

SAWCC programming

SAWCC hosts monthly events showcasing the work of South Asian women artists. These events include the Brown Eyed Girls writing workshop, a studio circle for visual artists, monthly panel discussions, and annual exhibitions and festivals open to the public. The annual visual arts exhibition has featured artists such as Chitra Ganesh, Swati Khurana, and Sa’dia Rehman, while the annual literary festival has included writers like Minal Hajratwala, V.V. Ganeshananthan, and Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri. SAWCC serves as a platform for South Asian women artists to present their work, identify resources, and seek support, with a focus on themes of gender and cultural representation. The collective has collaborated with other arts organizations, including 3rd I South Asian Independent Film, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and the Pratt Institute.[4]

Annual Visual Arts Exhibition (Select)

In 2007, SAWCC presented an art exhibition in New York titled (un) Suitable Girls, which celebrated young women who rejected traditional expectations such as arranged marriages and dowries. The exhibition highlighted the experiences of “messy outspoken girls who might horrify prospective in-laws” with their Western ways, addressing themes of anger, angst, and societal norms.[3]

In 2012, SAWCC’s 15th-year retrospective visual arts show received critical acclaim, including coverage in The New York Times.[1]

Brown Eyed Girls

SAWCC’s writing workshop, Brown Eyed Girls, convened regularly from 2002 to 2006. This workshop was established to address the needs of the literary members for a structured environment where they could workshop their pieces and receive critical feedback.

Studio Circle

The Studio Circle for practicing visual artists was initiated by SAWCC in 2006. It comprises women of South Asian and Iranian heritage. This group met regularly from 2006 to 2013 at various artists’ studios to critique each other’s work and provide a space for collaboration and networking.[citation needed]

SAWCC London

While SAWCC is primarily based in New York City, it also has a sister chapter in London. SAWCC London offers free women-only “monthlies” as well as public events. These monthlies provide a platform for women artists of South Asian descent to network, share, discuss, and develop creative ideas and works.[5]

Notable members

Sources[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b Cotter, Holland (16 Aug 2012). "'Fifteen Years of the South Asian Women's Creative Collective'". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
  2. ^ a b "History". SAWCC. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Melwani, Lavina (2012-12-07). "The World of South Asian Women Artists". Lassi with Lavina. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
  4. ^ "South Asian Women's Creative Collective Records". Asian/Pacific American Archives Survey Project. 28 Jan 2015. Retrieved 31 Mar 2016.
  5. ^ "Community". SAWCC. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
  6. ^ "South Asian Women's Creative Collective". Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  7. ^ Hauer, Sarah (20 February 2017). "South Asian artists embroider their points at Villa Terrace". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
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