Kashmiri art, antiques travel to New York

NEW DELHI: Several Kashmiri antiques, including Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic art works, will be on display at a three-month-long exhibition being organised in New York from October to showcase the artistic contributions of the culturally rich region. 

The event is being held by the New York based Asia Society, a pan-Asian organisation that works towards strengthening relationships and promote understanding among the people of the US and Asia.

Highlighting Kashmir as a land of diverse aesthetics, 130 objects from the 2nd to 20th centuries will be on display during the exhibition that starts Oct 3 and runs till January 2008.

"Multiple cultural influences have fostered a unique artistic environment of diverse aesthetics that will be witnessed in this landmark exhibition," the organisers said in a statement.

Titled "The Arts of Kashmir", it comprises works of Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic art, including sculptures, paintings, and calligraphy loaned from collections in the US, Europe and India.

"Many of the objects (to be exhibited) have never been seen outside of India and in some cases they have never been exhibited or published anywhere," the organisers said.

The exhibition includes stone and bronze sculptures and calligraphic paintings, in addition to the fine examples of papier-mâché, carpets, shawls and embroidery - artwork Kashmir is internationally known for.

"The Arts of Kashmir exhibition aims to increase understanding of the historic artistic importance of the Kashmir Valley and the important role of the region in the development of intellectual life in South Asia," said Asia Society Museum director Melissa Chiu.

"Understanding Kashmiri cultural heritage is crucial for all of us in today's world, especially because it tends to be overly simplified in much of the current reportage on this disputed region," she added.

The exhibition "tells the story of generations of Kashmiris who excelled in producing art in a wide variety of media, not only the shawls that have become almost synonymous with Kashmir", said museum curator Pratapaditya Pal.

The antiques will be arranged chronologically, with works dating from Kashmir's beginnings as an important centre for Hindu and Buddhist practice.

One of the oldest pieces on display will be a 4th-century terra cotta tile depicting ascetics and birds excavated from Srinagar suburb Harwan, a site associated with Buddhism.

A large limestone 7th century sculpture of Hindu goddess Indrani - with distinctive Kashmiri features, elongated body and typical dress - is one of the main attractions.

The exhibition also includes an elaborately wrought 9th century bronze mandala of Lord Vishnu mounted on garuda and depicted with four goddesses.

A stunning array of bronze Buddhist sculptures, including a 10th-century brass Buddha, on loan from the Cleveland Museum of Art, is among the highlights.

A stele with a Persian inscription, one of the early Islamic pieces, will represent the Muslim period during which arts, architecture, literature, and music received extraordinary patronage in Kashmir.