Shows on Indian and Chinese art traditions at The PEM

Two significant art exhibitions revolving around India’s art traditions are about to conclude. Located in the Traditional Indian Art Gallery, the shows have been around for over a year. Two more shows on the Chinese art traditions are currently on; here’s a quick recap of the shows:

Of Gods and Mortals, Traditional Art from India

In India, art is an integral part of daily life. The importance of paintings, sculpture, textiles and other art forms comprises two basic categories, one related to religious practices and the other to the expression of prestige and social position. This new installation of works from the Peabody Essex Museum’s collection of Indian art will feature approximately 28 pieces, principally representing the 1800’s to the present.

Faces of Devotion, Indian Sculpture from the Figiel Collection

The Peabody Essex Museum had acquired the Dr. Leo Figiel Collection of Indian sculpture––widely‐regarded as the finest collection of its kind.

This exhibition presents a dramatic selection of ritual bronzes spanning the last millennium featuring depictions of deified heroes, pastoral gods and goddesses, and totemic animal spirits.
These bronzes were principally made for Hindu ritual practice in the west and southwest regions of India and are the best examples of local and vernacular artistry.

A complement to neighboring galleries of traditional and contemporary Indian art, this exhibition offers an opportunity to explore the connections between India’s artistic past and present.

Perfect Imbalance, Exploring Chinese Aesthetics

Chinese culture is diverse, longstanding and ever-changing. Yet common ties unite. This exhibition offers an approach to understanding Chinese culture through a study and celebration of the aesthetics of Chinese art. Objects included reveal key aesthetic clues that define the art of China, and distinguish it from art produced by neighboring regions, or art made in China for the export market.

These aesthetic standards prevailed with the passing of time and foreign influences. Ultimately they are a testament to the power of art. The exhibition features 30 objects that date from the Neolithic era to 2004 in a range of media including paintings, jade, textiles, porcelain and prints.

Fish, Silk, Tea, Bamboo: Cultivating an Image of China

Through delicate works on paper and other select objects, explore four essential motifs Westerners often associate with China -- fish, silk, tea, bamboo. Each was cultivated for artistic expression as well as profit. All helped shape the emerging concept of the Middle Kingdom in 18th-century Europe.