Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine
Saturday, January 18, 2020 - Sunday, October 18, 2020
The gods and goddesses revered in Hindu religious practice in India have populated the art of that region for thousands of years, inspiring worshippers and artists alike. Images of deities continue to demonstrate their power for hundreds of millions of people as part of their daily rituals at temples, shrines, and other settings, within India and in the broader global diaspora. This exhibition focuses on the ongoing impact of classical depictions of Hindu deities on both modern and contemporary artists.
These embodiments of metaphysical and philosophical expressions function as inspiring sources to artists such as Raja Ravi Varma, Ahbishek Singh, and Manjari Sharma, not only as classical exemplars to study but also as grounds for innovation and contemporary commentary. These three artists choose not to preserve the deities in past modes but instead render them current, as an ongoing articulation of densely layered experiences. This deft handling of visual traditions refreshes the images and resituates them in the viewers’ frame of reference, ensuring their seamless applicability in new areas.
The exact meaning of “Hinduism” has been the subject of debate, with the term suggesting a shared range of pluralistic practices and emphases, rather than a limited definition of one set of beliefs. The exhibition does not aim to offer strict delineations of what this religion is and is not. Instead it directs focus onto the pantheon of gods and goddesses that populate the worship of practitioners, and the role they play as a creative source for modern and contemporary Indian artists.
These artists have built upon the visual culture they observed growing up in India, surrounded by images that have been part of a multifaceted religious landscape. Each of the three has adapted this wealth of imagery to uniquely press their conceptual concerns and offer their own perspectives on the points of contact between the transcendent and the mundane. They do this with recognition that religious pilgrims make arduous journeys for darshan—to see, and in turn be ‘seen by,’ important images of deities. By drawing out these aspects of religious art and practice, viewers are invited to consider their roles as observers, and the effect of their own gaze upon a subject.
Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine was organized by Asia Society Texas Center. In Atlanta, the exhibition has been made possible through the generous support from the Michael C. Carlos Museum Visiting Board, the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, and the City of Atlanta, Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs.
View a talk by artist, Manjari Sharma HERE.
These embodiments of metaphysical and philosophical expressions function as inspiring sources to artists such as Raja Ravi Varma, Ahbishek Singh, and Manjari Sharma, not only as classical exemplars to study but also as grounds for innovation and contemporary commentary. These three artists choose not to preserve the deities in past modes but instead render them current, as an ongoing articulation of densely layered experiences. This deft handling of visual traditions refreshes the images and resituates them in the viewers’ frame of reference, ensuring their seamless applicability in new areas.
The exact meaning of “Hinduism” has been the subject of debate, with the term suggesting a shared range of pluralistic practices and emphases, rather than a limited definition of one set of beliefs. The exhibition does not aim to offer strict delineations of what this religion is and is not. Instead it directs focus onto the pantheon of gods and goddesses that populate the worship of practitioners, and the role they play as a creative source for modern and contemporary Indian artists.
These artists have built upon the visual culture they observed growing up in India, surrounded by images that have been part of a multifaceted religious landscape. Each of the three has adapted this wealth of imagery to uniquely press their conceptual concerns and offer their own perspectives on the points of contact between the transcendent and the mundane. They do this with recognition that religious pilgrims make arduous journeys for darshan—to see, and in turn be ‘seen by,’ important images of deities. By drawing out these aspects of religious art and practice, viewers are invited to consider their roles as observers, and the effect of their own gaze upon a subject.
Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine was organized by Asia Society Texas Center. In Atlanta, the exhibition has been made possible through the generous support from the Michael C. Carlos Museum Visiting Board, the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, and the City of Atlanta, Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs.
View a talk by artist, Manjari Sharma HERE.
