A major new exhibition opens at the Art Gallery of NSW this Saturday, marking the gallery’s largest presentation of South and Southeast Asian art in more than two decades.
Featuring more than 200 works from around the world, Avatar: Forms of Vishnu explores 15 centuries of artistic interpretations of the deity.
In Hindu tradition, Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, taking different forms to restore balance and justice. “This might be quite a good time for him to make an appearance,” jokes co-curator Associate Professor Chaitanya Sambrani.
While ten main avatars are commonly recognised, Vishnu can appear in countless forms, which is reflected in the many artistic interpretations featured throughout the exhibition. Whether he’s appearing as a boar or a man with a horse head, he is seen as a peace-loving, supreme deity, ready to bring order to chaos.
Drawn from 11 museums and collections across five countries (including India, Cambodia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Australia), the exhibition is the Art Gallery of NSW’s largest presentation of South and Southeast Asian art in over 20 years.
We attended an exclusive preview of Avatar: Forms of Vishnu ahead of its public opening. Here are some of the most fascinating things we discovered.
The star of the show? A sixth-century sculpture
Exclusive to Sydney, Avatar: Forms of Vishnu unites works created across 15 centuries, with its oldest piece dating to the sixth century and its newest installation finished only days ago. The exhibition itself has been brought together over the past three and a half years.
The most exciting part of the Avatar is undoubtedly its Cambodian sculpture from the sixth century. Krishna Govardhana, made of sandstone, has been borrowed from the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.
You may wonder how this precious sculpture made its way from Cambodia to Sydney. Co-curator Melanie Eastburn tells us that it’s all about “trust and working together”.
“The Art Gallery has built up a lot of trust over many years with institutions, so we are in a good position to be able to borrow things, but you never know.”
She tells us that the “Head of Stone Conservation” from the National Museum of Cambodia came to the Art Gallery with the sculpture, as he was “the most valuable person to make sure all was right.” The incredible sculpture arrived by courier in one piece and now sits illuminated in all its glory against an olive-coloured background in the exhibition.
There’s also a seventh-century sculpture of the horse-headed avatar Kalkin, which has never been seen in Australia before. This sculpture was rediscovered in the 1920s and reunited with its pedestal and feet in 2014. If you look closely at the image below, you can see the cracks where the sculpture’s feet and legs were once separated.
Combining the old with the new
While the exhibition’s extraordinary archaic sculptures are a major highlight, it is the combination of the old and the new works that gives Avatar: Forms of Vishnu its depth, or what co-curator Dr Chaitanya Sambrani called “a layering of traditions”.
The Director of the Art Gallery of NSW stated, “that is what the Art Gallery does best. We bring the historical alongside the contemporary.” Avatar: Forms of Vishnu features work from nine different contemporary artists, including one of India’s most renowned photographers, Pushpamala N, whose contribution takes the form of a series of dramatic photographic performances.
The exhibition also embraces some modern technology. A digital experience brings artist Kalam Patua’s avatars to life through animation and an interactive touchscreen, offering a more immersive way to engage with the stories behind the works. Obviously, you can’t let your kids near the ancient stone sculptures, but they’ll enjoy poking the touchscreen and watching the animations of Vishnu come to life.
New Delhi-based artist Sumakshi Singh, who recently exhibited at this year’s Venice Biennale, is showing in Sydney for the first time. She has created a new installation of woven cotton and silk inspired by the architecture of a 12th-century sun temple. Threshold frames a 13th-century sculpture from Odisha, depicting Vishnu’s man-lion avatar Narasimha, another nod to the old blending with the new.
Eastburn tells us the piece was completed “just a few days ago”, a reminder of the exhibition’s remarkable scope, spanning works created mere days apart from objects more than a millennium old.
Desmond Lazaro’s paintings were commissioned for Avatar: Forms of Vishnu. (Image: Isabelle James).
The exhibition also features paintings from the artist Desmond Lazaro, which were made especially for this exhibition. The artist, who was born in the UK and now lives in Kyneton, Victoria, was inspired by Indian painting traditions, as well as landscapes in Australia, when creating his works.
One word to describe the exhibition? “Exquisite”
The Director of the Art Gallery of NSW tells us that the one word that she comes back to when she sees this exhibition is “exquisite”.
While recent exhibitions at the Art Gallery of NSW have leaned towards the confronting (most recently, Ron Mueck’s hyperrealistic Encounter), Avatar: Forms of Vishnu offers something different.
Rich in history and striking in its beauty, the exhibition is filled with vibrant and colourful paintings, intricate artworks and monumental stone sculptures. “Exquisite” feels like the perfect word to describe it.
Here are some of our other favourite works:
You can buy your tickets to the exhibition here. Adult tickets start at $35, $10 for youth (12-17).
