Delhi's 'Ad Art' exhibition to spotlight four decades of Indian advertising

New Delhi: An exhibition highlighting the art of Indian advertising as it evolved over the period of 1950–90 is set to be inaugurated in Delhi on Tuesday.

Titled 'Ad Art Exhibition: Four Decades of Indian Advertising', it is being hosted by the city-based Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, a senior official said on Monday.

The exhibits will include images of several print ads drawn from a private collection.

From food items to commodities and footwear to other objects, these ads depict an era gone by.

The exhibition will showcase some of the rare advertisements of that period and the invaluable legacy of advertising over these four decades, the official said.

It will portray not just a collection of old advertisements but also the transformations that took place in Indian society, culture and consumerism. It is an opportunity to witness bygone advertisements that deeply influenced India's markets, emotions and identity, he said.

The exhibition which runs from March 25-28 attempts to explore the artistic, literary and social context of advertisements and their impact on society, the official said.

On this occasion, a panel discussion featuring advertising and media personalities will also be held.

In March 2024, the IGNCA hosted an exhibition of images of posters of old films and contemporary cinema portraying the lives of women over the last several decades, along with a thematic panel discussion on 'Women in Cinema'.