Philadelphia Museum showcasing India | Art, Textiles & Photography

Philadelphia Museum of Art - Image Source: Tumblr
Philadelphia Museum of Art - Image Source: Tumblr

Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is showcasing ‘India‘ with multiple exhibitions currently on display. These exhibitions showcase Art collections, traditional textiles & contemporary photography from 15th century onwards and provide a glimpse of India’s talent.

Drawn from Courtly IndiaThis exhibition “Drawn from Courtly India” presents masterful drawings from the royal courts of northern India. Lovingly amassed by artist Conley Harris and architectural designer Howard Truelove, the collection features practice sketches, preparatory drawings, subtly modeled scenes, and lightly colored compositions created between the 1500s and 1800s. With images at different stages of completion, the collection allows for a fascinating look at Indian workshop practice. Although the majority of the drawings served as studies for paintings, they are accomplished works of art in their own right.

This exhibition will also showcase drawings of Lord Krishna dancing atop many-headed Kaliya demon and six naginis (Kaliya’s part-human part-snake wives); Krishna and the gopis shelter from the rain; festive image of the birth of Krishna; walking Vaishnava disciples; Devi and the Shakti forces attack Nishumbha, Shumbha, and their army; battle scene with demons; etc.

PMA is also organizing yoga party to “Celebrate the Holidays” on December 30; involving yoga through meditative exercises, yoga postures, and breathing techniques.  Calling it a “peaceful stretch”, PMA is also making “Henna tattoos” available at this event.

Art of the Zo: Textiles from Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh, Now Through March 20, 2016, offers a look at beautiful woven textiles of the Zo people of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh. It spotlights traditional weavings worn for daily life and ceremonial occasions, such as weddings, funerals, and feasts of merit. Patterns, techniques, and local variations are closely examined, revealing the extraordinary beauty and craftsmanship of these distinctive creations.

Picture This: Contemporary Photography and India, Now Through April 3, 2016, features the work of four contemporary photographers for whom India is an important subject or setting: Gauri Gill, Sunil Gupta, Max Pinckers, and Pamela Singh. Diverse in nationality and place of residence, each of these artists brings a cosmopolitan perspective to his or her work. Whether photographing in rural Rajasthan or major cities like Mumbai or New York, they offer points of view that do not fit easily into categories of “insider” or “outsider.”

PMA, which began as a legacy of the great Centennial Exhibition of 1876, claims to have “world-renowned collection” and to inspire the visitors “to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone”. Timothy Rub, Gail Harrity and Constance H. Williams are Director, President and Trustees Chair respectively of the Museum; while Ainsley M. Cameron is the Curator of this exhibition.

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