The Designera, which describes itself as India’s first gallery dedicated to Pop Art, has launched a new collection featuring reinterpretations of well-known female figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Frida Kahlo. The series uses a Pop Art aesthetic to explore ideas of femininity, fame, and mass culture.
A recurring visual element in the collection is a bubblegum sphere, used as a symbol of rebellion, playfulness, and popular culture. While some artworks adopt a photorealistic approach, others draw from the visual language of artists like Andy Warhol, relying on flat colour fields, repetition, and bold contrasts.
The collection presents a mix of styles, reflecting different ways of engaging with the cultural memory of these icons. The artworks are framed in either ornate white or minimalist black, drawing attention to the tension between traditional and contemporary interpretations.
The gallery notes that this series is part of its broader effort to support emerging artists who work with contemporary themes and unconventional mediums. By focusing on widely recognisable figures, the works prompt questions about how celebrity and femininity are shaped—and reshaped—over time.
The Designera positions itself as a space that brings together pop culture references and visual experimentation. With this collection, it continues its interest in using familiar imagery to explore shifting cultural narratives within an Indian context.
Edited by Anit Anna Joseph
