Exhibition on Vishnu’s avatars continues in Sydney
The Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney is hosting the exhibition Avatar: Forms of Vishnu, dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu deity of order and cosmic balance. The exhibition brings together 200 artworks from different centuries and media, including newly commissioned contemporary works. The exhibition runs until October 5, ABC News Australia reports.
Stories of seven incarnations
The project was conceived by gallery curator Melanie Eastburn with the support of curator and art historian Chaitanya Sambrani. The central theme is Vishnu’s avatars — his descents to Earth in different forms. The article discusses seven forms, including a turtle, a man-lion, a fish and a boar.
Vishnu is regarded as the guardian of dharma — the one who maintains balance and order. He is worshipped by millions of Hindus in thousands of temples across South Asia and the diaspora. According to tradition, Vishnu’s final incarnation, Kalki, is to appear when modern civilization collapses.
Sambrani noted that each form is associated with distinct stories and symbols. According to him, these narratives are diverse, inclusive and cannot be reduced to a narrow understanding of religion.
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Exhibits from Cambodia
Among the key exhibits is a sculpture of Krishna Govardhana, dating from approximately 100–800 CE. It was loaned by the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. The sculpture depicts Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana to protect people from a severe storm.
Some of the important works come from Cambodia, which was once home to the largest Hindu temple on Earth — Angkor Wat. The exhibition also includes a chromolithograph of the goddess Lakshmi, printed by Ravi Varma Press in the early 20th century, and a large-scale interactive digital installation featuring all of Vishnu’s avatars.
The organizers stressed that they do not seek to recreate a temple experience in the gallery, but want to show respect and care for visitors for whom Vishnu is an important part of their identity.
