On entering this exhibition, the visitor is greeted by representatives of three major faith traditions. Statues of the Buddha, Ganesha and a tirthankara both open and close this thought-provoking introduction to three of the world's major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. All three began in India, and this ambitious show seeks to trace their origins, consider their interconnections and celebrate their artistic expression. However, in the face of such rich and complex traditions, the best that the exhibition can do is to offer a peek into these subjects, concluding with the hope that the visitors' appetite will be whetted to learn more. The first gallery, Nature Spirits, looks at the objects created from 200 BC onwards, establishing how these works of devotion and their imagery would influence and be integrated into the the three faiths covered in the later sections: Jain Art, Buddhist Art and Hindu Art. Perhaps, the least widely known of the three, Jainism, emerged 2500 years ago and focuses on the teachings of twenty-four tirthankaras, or enlightened beings. In turn, Jainist artwork represents these beings and the nature spirits who attend them. Emerging at almost the same time as Jainism, the Buddhist tradition, which is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, creates art which focuses on representations of the Buddha - although the familiar nature spirits are again present. Predating both of these traditions is Hinduism. Shaped by various sacred texts, its art emphasises the representation of various deities, primary among them being Shiva and Vishnu, along with Ganesha and Lakshmi. The connections through these various galleries are fascinating and nicely developed by the curatorship. Finally, the last section of the exhibition is Beyond India which briefly considers the extension of these faiths into the rest of Asia and beyond. Overall, this is an exhibition that offers an intriguing look into three religious and artistic heritages that not only define much of humanity's past, but also continue to influence its future.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Gaja-Lakshmi ('Elephant Lakshmi') goddess of good fortune, about 1780 © The Trustees of the British Museum
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