The longing of an animal for freedom, a young woman seeking unconditional love in her mother’s lap, the scars left by felled trees narrating the story of ecological imbalance, a woman weaving phulkari against the backdrop of Punjab’s agricultural landscape and another turning her gaze inward — artists bring these diverse emotions, memories and reflections to life through their work. Together, the artworks offer more than images to look at, they open windows into questions of freedom, love, loss, the environment, identity and introspection.Organised by the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi in collaboration with the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, the exhibition, titled Celebrating Together: Women Artists of Punjab and Chandigarh, brings together a diverse display of artworks by women artists. The exhibition is an expression of women’s creativity, courage and imagination, with around 70 artists from Punjab and Chandigarh showcasing works across disciplines, including painting, photography and printmaking. Each artist brings her own experiences and perspective to the canvas, paper or photographic frame, creating a collection that reflects both individual journeys and shared thoughts.“Taking this exhibition from one city to another makes the journey even more meaningful. From Amritsar to Jalandhar and finally to Chandigarh, the exhibition will not only carry the artworks, but the spirit of friendship, understanding and cultural togetherness,” says Bheem Malhotra, Chairman, Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi.Every artwork at the exhibition carries a story which is of a dream nurtured, a struggle endured, a memory preserved or a hope that refuses to fade. While some works draw from the world around them, capturing nature, changing landscapes and the rhythms of everyday life, others turn inward to explore emotions, relationships, identity and the complexities of being a woman.The exhibition’s diverse works also trace the many ways in which women experience, interpret and communicate the world around them. In A Language Beyond Words, Pallavi, a physically challenged artist, turns to Indian sign language to explore communication among deaf people. While Hindi, English and Punjabi rely on spoken or written words, her work draws attention to a language expressed through hand signs. The hands become a means of communication, showing how emotions and ideas can transcend spoken words.That idea of finding expression through a different language finds a different form in Tanveer Kaur Brar’s Kudrat, where the agricultural landscape of Punjab becomes a source of artistic expression. Her work portrays a woman observing the fields closely, drawing inspiration from the landscape and translating what she sees into simple motifs that eventually find their way into phulkari. The fields are not merely a backdrop but become part of the creative process, connecting the lived experience of rural women with Punjab’s rich tradition of embroidery.From communicating with others and observing the world outside, the artistic journey then turns inward in Guneeta Chadha’s work. Her portrayal of a woman looking within herself explores introspection and the search for a deeper understanding of one’s own life. Through meditation and contemplation, the woman is encouraged to pause, look beyond the surface and discover unexplored dimensions of her thoughts and experiences.The exhibition will remain open till September 26, daily from 10 am to 7 pm at Sobha Singh Art Gallery, Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16-B, Chandigarh.