Haan Hum: Art, Activism & Sisterhood in Mumbai
I use art and theatre to fight, to heal, and to build community with the women of Kamathipura. This is art as liberation, and you are invited to join the circle.
This is our tribe. A group photo from our Haan Hum collective, a sisterhood of artists, activists, and sex workers standing together. We are building a movement, and we rely on community support to make it happen.
In a circle of candlelight, we find our center. This was a powerful moment from a Haan Hum session, a quiet space for sharing and solidarity. These gatherings are the foundation upon which we build our collective strength.
Taking our work on the road. This video shows our "Humsafar" induction trip to Alibaug with senior participants, where we used public theatre exercises and art on the beach to deepen our practice and connection.
We took to the streets of Kamathipura, not just as residents, but as photographers. This workshop, "Lights and Shadows," was about seeing our own neighborhood with new eyes and capturing its truth through a lens.
Our workshops explore many mediums. Here, participants engage in clay work to create bowls that hold their emotions and experiment with Cyanotype printing, literally painting with the sun to explore light and shadow.
A warm welcome into our performance of Myth Theatre. The audience, our sisters from the community, created the stage for us. This is what it feels like when art is truly for the people, by the people.
Sound can be healing. A clip from a session that combined art therapy with a celebratory drum circle. For many, including myself, it was a first time feeling the powerful, connecting vibrations of the drums.
Another look at the power of a drum circle. Participants from Haan Hum joined a program called "Art for Sukoon," occupying a creative space with joy and confidence. It is about claiming our right to peace and expression.
We celebrated Diwali, Eid, and Durga Puja together through art. This "Celebration" themed workshop welcomed new members into our tribe with rangoli, theatre, and storytelling, strengthening our community bonds.
Exploring our roots through art. This workshop focused on our connections to nature and childhood, using creative expression as a way to heal and understand our personal histories.
About Haan Hum: Art, Activism & Sisterhood
My workshops are not about perfecting a brushstroke; they are about occupying space. We use theatre, drumming, and raw art-making to address internal and external conflicts. Whether you are an individual seeking healing or a team looking for authentic connection, we start with a grounding exercise and end with a shared truth. If you want a space where we can be messy, loud, and honest, let's talk.
I don't teach art in the traditional sense because this work is not about product, it is about process. When I facilitate a session, we are dismantling barriers. We might start with 'Image Theatre' to act out the struggles we face, then move to Cyanotype printing or clay work to ground ourselves.
My primary work is with the sex worker community in Kamathipura, where we use these tools to reclaim our voices, dignity, and autonomy. But this methodology is universal. I bring these same practices to corporate teams, NGOs, and individuals who feel the need to break hierarchies and find solidarity.
What to expect:
- For individuals: Intensive half-day sessions mixing visual art therapy with Theatre of the Oppressed to work through personal blocks.
- For corporate teams: Sessions focused on conflict resolution, empathy, and DEI, using art as a way to see our colleagues differently.
- For public spaces: Collaborative mural projects that bring communities together to paint their collective history onto the walls around them.
Everything I do is rooted in the belief that dignity is not conditional. Whether we are painting a 100 sq ft wall or making small dolls that hold our stories, we are practicing radical love. Anbe sivam, love is God, and that is what we are building here.
Girija
I’m Girija. I’m a middle-aged woman with a simple, radical dream: using art as an act of defiance and healing. Through my collective, Haan Hum, I work with women who fight for their dignity every single day, and I invite you to join us in this practice of love and liberation.
Find the art experience you need
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