Exhibition showcases calendar artists’ works in mid-20th century

CHENNAI: In the mid-20th century, a group of talented artists from Kovilpatti, a small town in Tamil Nadu, played a pivotal role in the calendar art industry. Guided by C Kondiah Raju, these artists, many of whom had backgrounds in drama scene painting, acting, and music for drama troupes, ventured into setting up photo studios.

They soon began creating striking artwork for major printing companies located near Sivakasi. Their creations, including images for calendars, magazines, book covers, cinema banners, invitations, labels, and greeting cards, gained immense popularity not only across India but also among Indian communities abroad.

The upcoming exhibition, titled Kovilpatti: The Town That Papered India, will showcase a selection of works by these calendar artists from the 1950s. The exhibition is curated by Dr Stephen Inglis, who conducted extensive field research during the late 70s and early 80s, primarily with Tamil potters and priests.

Notable students of artist Kondiah Raju included TS Subbiah, TS Arunachalam, S Meenakshi Sundaram, Ramalingam, M Sreenivasan, and Shenbagaraman. To showcase the works of these calendar artists from the 1950s, the family members of Ramalingam opened an art gallery called Chithiraalayam Art Gallery in Alwarthirunagar a few months ago.

KR Jayakumar, the son of artist Ramalingam, told DT Next, “Stephen Inglis had interviewed my father and other artists in the 70s and subsequently wrote a book. The ongoing exhibition aims to provide insights into the genesis of calendar art, the artists’ diverse backgrounds, their journey into drawing and the growth of the calendar art industry during the 50s and 60s.

Despite the widespread enthusiasm for their printed work, these artists remained relatively unknown to their audiences. We also wanted to introduce today’s generation to the once-prominent calendar art industry.”

The exhibition is on till November 26 at Varija Art Gallery, DakshinaChitra Museum.