New exhibition by the Goethe Institut Kolkata focuses on feminist voices in addressing contemporary global issues

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day throughout the month, we found ourselves witnessing an extra-ordinary exhibition that brings to the limelight artistic practices by women, highlighting what they truly want. Empowerment: Art and Feminisms in Kolkata is an international exhibition which brings together 31 International and South Asian feminist artists and collectives who, through their work, create a response to all the matters which are classified as ‘the need of the hour’.

It is curated by Andreas Beitin, Katharina Koch and Uta Ruhkamp; and co-presented by Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg and Goethe- Institut. Some of the participating artists include Mithu Sen, Selma Selman, Arshi Irshad Ahmadzai, Shilpa Gupta, Tejal Shah, Dean Hutton, Ebtisam Abdulaziz, and Newsha Tavakolian. Complete with paintings, photographs, visual installations, and films etc, the exhibition is divided into seven sections.

Divided into seven segments, this all-women exhibition speaks of urgent matters of our times

HerStories and Other Narratives, is not only a clever comment on the term ‘his’story but also installations and paintings that talk about the feminine power. While the Indian Goddess Kali finds space on the wall, a postcard installation by Mathilde ter Heijne called

Woman to Go takes every visitor through the stories of courageous and brave women whose tales have been lost in the pages of time. Another segment, Desired and Violated Bodies aims to break through the modern objectification of the female body. The most striking display here is Boryana Rossa’s Madonna of the External Silicone Breast which breaks the boundaries of how a female body should be and points out that every body is beautiful.

Feminist Futures, although sounds utopian, is a desire to have a future where women aren’t subject to prejudices through cast, class, body, and more. A series of photographs and augmented reality frames hung on the wall by Pacific Sisters and Pati Tyrell called Te Pū o te Wheke, is eye-catching. Gender & Identity revolves on Simone De Beauvoir’s idea of  ‘one is not born, but rather, becomes a woman’ through social constructs. It shows how a woman is perceived to be in society and how they try to break free from the bonds.

Labour of Care, highlights the discrimination women have to face in the professional world due to their sex. The film, Will I still carry water when I am a dead woman? by Wura-Natasha Ogunji shows women dragging (social) burdens with them out in the open street.

Planetary challenges focus on how ecological changes affect women while Resistance & Protest is all about women fighting for their rights, a fight which is still on.  

Empowerment: Art and Feminisms in Kolkata is on display at Park Mansion Gate 3, Fourth Floor, till April 15, 2026

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