Rupinder Kaur

Water colors and pen on paper.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court the most egregious attack on women’s rights and reproductive freedom, the effects of which will be enormous and complex. The decision erodes a person’s dignity and power over their own lives. Restricting access to safe, legal abortions can have detrimental effect on socio-psychological well-being of an individual. When someone is forced to carry a pregnancy against their will it can be life-threatening, it can de-rail one’s life plans, put financial burden, increase interpersonal violence and domestic abuse which can potentially put children at risk.

This piece of art made out of torn, burnt pages of the verdict represents my anger, upset, frustration and shock. The energy released through the symbolic destruction of the document is used to voice the emotions felt by me and numerous others like me who stand together for a world where we have freedom to control our bodies and futures.

Bio

Rupinder, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and an artist.  She has extensive experience of working with vulnerable high-risk populations such as those affected by multiple bereavement, domestic violence and trauma survivors including refugees and asylum seekers. Her work as a therapist is based on a systemic approach which involves working with individuals, couples or family within a relational context. 

She is a self-taught artist who has focused on creating and adapting her art through a variety of mediums. She has done illustrations for several books, including children’s stories, poetry, magazines, cover illustrations of books and college magazines.  She strives to integrate psychology and art in her work. For her, a sheet of paper and some colors can be a powerful tool to engage with people. It helps to create a safe space to initiate therapeutic conversation. Creating = changing. Creating a visual art can help to exteriorize emotions, frustrations etc and introduce a favorable change. She believes that art can represent an emotion. It can boldly depict a sociopolitical condition or challenges and become a force for change. 

Rupinder was born in New Delhi where she completed her Doctorate in Psychology and worked as a lecturer before relocating to the United Kingdom. After working and training in the UK for several years, she now resides in Canada where she works as an independent researcher and does art projects.