Avatar Forms of Vishnu

Saturday will see the start of a three-and-a-half-month exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, from 20 June until 5 October of this year, with 9 artworks making the trip from the National Museum of Cambodia to take part. The exhibition is called ‘Avatar Forms of Vishnu’ and will bring together centuries of art and storytelling from South and Southeast Asia celebrating Vishnu, the Hindu deity who preserves order in the universe. Avatar, meaning ‘descent’ in Sanskrit, describes the many forms Vishnu takes to descend from the heavens to restore balance on earth. The exhibition will feature 200 artworks, from multiple countries, including sculpture, painting, textiles, photographs and film, as well as contemporary art pieces, and will include a trio of Pre-Angkor artifacts, Krishna Govardhana from Angkor Borei, Vajimukha from Kandal and a Vishnu Anantasayin lintel from Battambang, all from the sixth or seventh centuries. The beautiful 10th century lintel from Prasat Sralao of Vishnu on Garuda is making the trip, as well as a large sandstone Vishnu from Prasat Damrei Krap on Kulen, and a gorgeous 12th century bronze Vishnu from Ba Phnom. To complete the representation from Cambodia, three tempera on canvas panel paintings of the Reamker from the 19th century will also be displayed.

(Top) Lintel Depicting Vishnu Anantasayin and the Birth of Brahma, mid-7th century, (Bottom) Lintel depicting Vishnu on Garuda, 900s.