Avatar: Forms of Vishnu Exhibition at AGNSW Explores 1,500 Years of Hindu Art
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) is currently hosting the 'Avatar: Forms of Vishnu' exhibition, featuring 200 artworks that span a remarkable 1,500 years and include pieces from both international and Australian collections. This exhibition is particularly significant as it presents several early Cambodian sculptures outside their native countries for the first time. Co-curator Chaitanya Sambrani describes Vishnu as a figure that goes beyond organized religions. The display juxtaposes historical artifacts with contemporary works from artists like Desmond Lazaro and Sumakshi Singh, who explore key Hindu stories and themes of femininity. This event, which represents the largest showcase of South and Southeast Asian art in the last 20 years, runs until October 5.
Key facts
- 200 artworks spanning 1,500 years
- Many objects from Cambodia travel for the first time
- Co-curator Chaitanya Sambrani
- Desmond Lazaro's 'Samudra Manthana, Churning of the Ocean of Milk' (2026)
- Sumakshi Singh's 'Threshold' (2026)
- 13th-century Lakshmi Narasimha sculpture from Odisha, India
- Sandstone carving of Vajimukha (Hayagriva or Kalkin) from late 500s or early 600s
- First Australian exhibition devoted to Vishnu
- Largest South and Southeast Asian art exhibition in Australia in 20 years
- Runs until October 5 at AGNSW
Entities
Artists
- Desmond Lazaro
- Sumakshi Singh
- Satyanarayan Suthar
- Chaitanya Sambrani
- Louise Martin-Chew
Institutions
- Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Rami Varma Press
- Ravi Varma Press
- The University of Queensland
- The Conversation
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Cambodia
- India
- Rajasthan
- Mewar
- Odisha
- Bangladesh
- Dhaka
- Shialdi
- Indonesia
- Nepal