Natasha James Celebrates Indian Women’s Lives and Stories Through Art

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In the midst of her own personal chaos, Natasha James fell ill, lost her ability to work, but found a new purpose in art, using it as a powerful form of activism dedicated to bringing light to the often forgotten stories of Indian indentured labourer women.

Durban, South Africa (15 December 2025) – When chronic illness took away her ability to work as a graphic designer, Natasha James spent the last 18 months mostly bed-bound. At one point, she admits she wasn’t sure she would see 2025.

To cope, Natasha started creating art again, from her bed. It wasn’t planned, but the art felt therapeutic.

“It became a way to stay connected to myself and my creativity, even when my body couldn’t keep up with my usual life,” Natasha tells Good Things Guy.

Although she didn’t expect anything to come from it, a year later, the art she produced during that period was selected to be part of a group art exhibition at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, aimed at using art as activism for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

She was awarded the Best Visual Arts Award at the Artivist Awards and Exhibition 2025, and her work was displayed in an exclusive honorary exhibition space where the event was hosted and curated by GBV activist Judy Umraw. The exhibition ran until 10 December 2025, coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Using Art to Tell the Stories of Indian Women of the Past

As a young girl, Natasha searched for visual representations of Indian indentured labourers but found very little representation, particularly of women’s lives through art or illustration. That absence stayed with her and became a key inspiration for the series she later developed.

Her return to creating art was deeply personal. After losing her ability to create for many years due to two rare disease diagnoses, she regained the strength to make her first piece. The exhibition’s artwork took 90+ days to create, using vector illustration, graphic design and AI-generated main character portraits only as base images, which were extensively edited and transformed into the final pieces.

Natasha’s work blends historical research, archival material, and literary symbolism. It does not aim to recreate exact historical events but serves as a creative interpretation of the trauma, resilience, and legacy of indentured women. All references were drawn from reputable sources, and the exhibition included a detailed bibliography for visitors.

The feature explored the connection between historical oppression and contemporary gender-based violence, showing how intergenerational trauma continues to shape descendants, families and communities.

Natasha expressed her gratitude to the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and Judy Umraw for creating a space where artists could raise awareness of stories of indenture that history didn’t always hold space for.

Visitors were invited to reflect, connect with ancestral stories, and engage in dialogue about resilience, survival, and healing – a testament to the power of art to honour the voices that were never heard.

Reflecting on the experience, Natasha shared:

“I’m an Indian South African woman, and having my artwork featured in a museum in KZN during such an important global campaign feels completely unreal. History didn’t always make space for the stories of indentured women, let alone the abuse and harm they endured.”

She says that in the middle of her own chaos, she found healing through art, which in this recent exhibition, became a powerful form of activism.

“My hope is that through my work, the women who were abused 165 years ago, who were silenced and carried so much, can have their stories exist in the world today. That their voices finally have space.”