Kajri Jain

Kajri Jain is a Professor of Indian Visual Culture and Contemporary Art at the University of Toronto. She holds undergraduate appointments in the Department of Visual Studies (UTM) and graduate appointments in the Department of Art (St. George), with cross-appointments at the Institute for Cinema Studies and the Centre for South Asian Studies.

Education:

• PhD, Art History and Theory, University of Sydney
• MA, Art History and Theory, University of Sydney
• PEP, Visual Communication, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

Research Interests: Jain’s work explores how images derive meaning not just from their visual content but from their production, circulation, and material use. Her research spans modern and contemporary Indian visual culture, including bazaar icons, monumental statues, theme parks, and representations of nature in religious and popular contexts. She employs ethnographic methods to examine the intersections of religion, politics, commerce, and aesthetics in postcolonial India. Her teaching and writing critically interrogate the legacies of European Romanticism and secular modernism in art history and visual studies.

Publications & Themes: Jain has authored two major monographs—Gods in the Time of Democracy (2021) and Gods in the Bazaar (2007)—and numerous essays on topics such as mass reproduction, political iconography, urban nature, and postcolonial aesthetics. Her articles consistently engage with image theory, postcolonial critique, and the sensory politics of caste and religion in visual culture.

Scientific Awards: No specific awards listed in the provided text.

Advising & Affiliations: While no specific students are named, Jain teaches a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses and is affiliated with multiple research centers at the University of Toronto. Her work bridges departments and disciplines, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue in South Asian visual studies.

Labs & Teams: Jain is associated with the Graduate Department of Art History and the Centre for South Asian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto.