From Goddess to Pin-Up: Icons of Femininity in Indian Calendar Art

About the exhibition
From Goddess to Pin-up showcased a contemporary form of mass-produced art known as calendar art—a part of everyday material culture, religious practice and aesthetic experience in India. Drawn from the collection of New Delhi–based sociologists J.P.S. and Patricia Uberoi, the exhibition focused on the visual representation of femininity within this popular genre.

The selected prints illustrated how divine and secular qualities often merge in depictions of women. While much of the imagery is rooted in Hindu iconography—particularly the four principal goddesses—female figures span a broad spectrum of archetypes. They appear as idealised devotees, warriors, vamps and entrepreneurs, reflecting diverse and sometimes contradictory models of femininity.

In addition to printed calendars, the exhibition included a number of original paintings from which calendar prints were made, sourced from publishers and distributors.

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^{Image: Detail of exhibition catalogue back cover showing the work of unknown artists. Collection: The Uberoi Collection of Indian Calendar Art}