Asian Art Museum’s "Dance in the Arts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayan Region" Exhibition

FAIN: GI-271394-20

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA 94102-4734)
Forrest McGill (Project Director: December 2019 to present)

Implementation of a traveling exhibition about dance in the arts, culture, and religion of the Indian cultural sphere.

“Dance in the Arts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayan Region” (working title) will use the accessible and engaging subject of dance as an entry point to encourage visitors to explore key humanities themes—including religion, power, gender, sexuality, and cultural continuity—as they relate to and are expressed through the arts and cultures of this region. Dance is everywhere in artworks from this geographic area and is seen to possess enormous power. Dance can not only convey the most profound religious, spiritual, and social messages, but potentially can disrupt or invigorate the world. “Dance” will feature approximately 125 artworks spanning 2,000 years from different mediums and cultures; interpretive and explanatory materials; and complementary education and public programs. Altogether, this project (starting 9/1/2020 and ending 10/31/2022) will invite visitors to better understand the immense power of dance in the region and its ability to convey and create meaning.

Associated Products

Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art (Exhibition)
Title: Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art
Curator: Forrest McGill
Abstract: Dance is everywhere in the arts of the Indian cultural sphere: from the sacred dance of a god bringing the world into being to the elaborate choreography of modern Bollywood, every move has meaning. Through July 10, 2023, the Asian Art Museum presents Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art, inviting all to discover the power of dance in the visual arts of India, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas, where dancing plays a significant role in religion, mythology, and ceremony. Featuring more than 120 artworks borrowed from 20 of the finest museums and private collections, Beyond Bollywood immerses museumgoers in a multimedia showcase of dance, bringing a wide array of historic and contemporary sculpture, painting, textiles, jewelry, photographs, and more to vivid, passionate life. Through encounters with artworks from countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia, Beyond Bollywood reveals the enduring capacity of dance to inspire a diverse range of artists and audiences alike. “We hope visitors will come away with a transformed notion of the importance and power of dance,” says co-curator Forrest McGill, “what it has meant in the past, and what it can mean in their own lives today.” The exhibition’s design takes full advantage of the theatrical and technical capabilities of the museum’s new Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Pavilion, incorporating experiential elements from subtle musical backdrops to gallery-spanning video installations. Through live dance performances (taking place within the main pavilion itself) and other associated dance events and programs, viewers can experience the magic of dance in person. Beyond Bollywood is organized by the Asian Art Museum and the Cincinnati Art Museum and co-curated by Wattis Senior Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art Forrest McGill and Ainsley M. Cameron, curator of South Asian Art, Islamic Art and Antiquities at the Cincinnati Art Museum. An exhibition ca
Year: 2023
Primary URL: https://exhibitions.asianart.org/exhibitions/beyond-bollywood-2000-years-of-dance-in-art/
Primary URL Description: Exhibition web page.

---