On Friday, Feb. 16, the Speed Art Museum will open its newest exhibit — “India: South Asian Paintings from the San Diego Museum of Art.” The exhibit will mark the Speed Museum’s first time hosting an exhibition of South Asian art.
What to expect
- The exhibition features 1,400+ pieces from four different centuries.
- It is one of the most comprehensive collections of South Asian paintings outside of modern-day Pakistan and India.
- Various artistic traditions, ranging from Hindu and Persianate to Islamic, are represented in the works.
- Before heading to Louisville, the exhibition was shown at CentroCentro de Cibeles, a venue in Madrid, Spain.
The sections
The exhibition is divided into two themed sections: “The Throne, The Chase, and The Heart” + “Elephant in the Room.”
“The Throne, The Chase, and The Heart” features 46 portraits and paintings of “courtly pastimes” depicting Indian rulers and the elite, while “Elephant in the Room” explores the often revered role of the elephant in South Asian oral and visual traditions.
The exhibit will remain at the Speed through May 12, after which it will return to the San Diego Museum of Art (we’re grateful to your art museum for sharing this with us, SDtoday).
