The mystic of powerful Hindu god explored

The mystic of the powerful Hindu god explored is in a show, entitled ‘Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior’ at Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, USA. Here is an introductory note to the show:

Following the introductory ‘Images of Vishnu’ section, the exhibition moves on to an expansive section devoted to the god’s avatars. Although these figures share some of Vishnu’s characteristics, they are limited manifestations. Less glorious, with finite bodies, they sometimes display human weaknesses and are usually mortal. When Vishnu descends from the heavens in the form of an avatar, it is as if he were reaching down with his hand: the hand may be Vishnu, but it is not the god in full.

Hindu texts differ on how many times Vishnu’s avatars have come to Earth. These are explored in ‘The Avatars of Vishnu’. This section begins with an introduction to the avatars as a group, shown in objects ranging from a two-sided stone plaque from the eleventh century that includes images of the ten primary avatars; to an early-eighteenth-century pendant that, although only about two inches square, also depicts the ten avatars; a fragment of a seventeenth-century textile made of dyed and undyed silk; and a variety of sculptures and watercolors.

‘Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior concludes’ with ‘Worshipping Vishnu’. Here, watercolor images of worshippers and the places in which they pray to Vishnu or his avatars, as well as a selection of ritual objects, provide an overview of some of the many Vaishnava rituals and sectarian traditions. Highlights include exquisite miniature objects made for use on domestic altars, including a gold throne and a silver and gold swing, both from around the nineteenth century.

‘Worshipping Vishnu’ ends with a selection of objects from the modern era. Ranging from a twentieth-century papier-mâché pageant mask, to a selection of early-twentieth-century popular religious prints, to a pair of Bollywood posters, these demonstrate the enduring popularity of Vishnu and his avatars, as well as the ways in which Vaishnava traditions continue to evolve with the introduction of new media and new trends in devotional practice.