MJF Art Prize Winner – Sonal Ambani – The Unity Dome – Voices of Women
The inaugural Motwani Jadeja Art Prize received great attention and it was a difficult task for the international jury led by Dr. Bernhart Schwenk, Chief Curator of Contemporary Art at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, to make a final decision among the many applications.
The jury considered all aspects of each project for its artistic merits, how it addressed the requirements, how it would be realized and how it would work as an installation.
The MJF Foundation is delighted to announce the winner of the inaugural Motwani Jadeja Art Prize:
Sonal Ambani
with her proposal for the “The Unity Dome – Voices of Women”
Concept
This project envisions a large, dome-shaped structure as a tribute to women, highlighting the multifaceted roles they embody across cultures. The dome serves as a community-driven artwork, symbolizing unity and collective effort. Visitors enter and exit from opposite ends, creating a continuous flow that reflects the dynamic nature of life itself.
Construction
The dome will be constructed from laser-cut stainless steel panels. These panels will feature words representing various roles women hold, written in different languages from around the world. The words will be welded together to form the entire dome, casting intricate shadows that play across the interior and surrounding area.
Interior Experience
Inside the dome, visitors will encounter a series of hanging cards. Each card will showcase an image of a woman alongside a written narrative. These narratives will be drawn from interviews with 100 women from diverse backgrounds, weaving a tapestry of individual stories that, when viewed together, paint a broader picture of womanhood. This immersive experience celebrates the multifaceted identities and significant contributions women make to society.
Sustainability
The stainless steel for the dome’s construction will be sourced from recycled scrap metal, including contributions from the homes of the women interviewed for the project. This approach reflects an ecological consciousness, aligning with themes of sustainability.
Engagement and Interaction:
The immersive nature of the dome is central to audience engagement. The continuous flow of movement created by visitors entering from one end and exiting from the other reflects the dynamism of women’s lives. Inside, the hanging displays invite exploration. Each display will feature a captivating image alongside a written narrative, allowing visitors to connect with the individual stories of the women.
Hanging Cards
Dome will feature 100 cards suspended within the dome structure. Each card will display a powerful image and a quote, capturing the essence of being a woman and the challenges faced in today’s world. These cards will be the culmination of 100 interviews conducted in all states of india, representing women from diverse regions, occupations, and backgrounds.
This project aims to highlight the multifaceted lives of women—showcasing their achievements and the obstacles they overcome. By choosing women from different walks of life, we will illustrate the vast array of roles women occupy while also
acknowledging the challenges they encounter.
“The Unity Dome” will stand as a symbol of solidarity, showcasing the collective strength of women and fostering a sense of unity among viewers. It will be a space where the stories of women resonate, inspire, and encourage reflection on the societal changes needed to support them.
