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World's First Major Exhibition of Hindu Lord Vishnu Premieres in Nashville

"Vishnu: Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior," said to be the first major museum exhibition to focus on the Hindu deity Vishnu, opened today at Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Hindus have applauded Frist Center for developing the Hinduism focused exhibition. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that art has a long and rich tradition in Hinduism. Ancient Sanskrit literature depicts religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth. It was a laudable step for Frist Center to provide opportunity to the world to further explore Hinduism and its concepts, Zed pointed out.

Dr. Joan Cummins, Asian Art Curator at Brooklyn Museum (New York, USA), introduces Vishnu to broader audiences through over 170 sculptures, paintings, prints, textiles, and ritual objects created in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, going as far back as fourth century. The exhibition reveals the many ways Vishnu was portrayed and celebrated. Accompanied by a 292-page illustrated catalog, it also provides a brief survey of Hindu art styles as well as an examination of Vishnu-worshipping traditions. It will be displayed at Frist until May 29 and then move to Brooklyn Museum from June 24 to October 2.

According to a release, the first section of the exhibition, "Images of Vishnu," introduces Vishnu in his primary form with subsections dedicated to his attributes and legends. The second section, "The Avatars of Vishnu," is devoted to Vishnu's avatars (incarnations). The third section, "Worshiping Vishnu," explores some of the ways the deity has been venerated over the centuries. Center has even formed a "Vishnu Advisory Committee" just for this exhibition.

Vishnu exhibition includes "Balarama Diverting the Course of the Yamuna River with his Plough" (watercolor; 1740-65), "Lakshmi Massaging the Foot of Vishnu" (watercolor; 1765-70), Standing Vishnu (terracotta; fifth century), Vishnu Flanked by His Personified Attributes (sandstone; 12th century), Lakshmi-Narayana (sandstone; 10th century), Varaha Rescuing the Earth (watercolor; 1730-40), "Pendant Depicting the Avatars of Vishnu" (early 18th century; gold with champlevé enamel, citrine quartz, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds), Krishna Fluting for the Gopis (watercolor; 1730), "Miniature Shrine for an Icon or Ritual Object" (19th century; gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls), and "Swing for an Image of Krishna" (18th century; silver and gold).

It is sponsored by HCA and TriStar Family of Hospitals and First Tennessee Bank. It is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a U.S. federal government agency. Zed has urged NEA to fund more Hinduism-entered art projects so that more Americans could immerse in the rich philosophy of Hinduism.

Rajan Zed appealed to major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d'Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Art Institute of Chicago, Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid and National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, to frequently organize Hindu art exhibitions.

"We are honored to organize and present Vishnu: Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior, the first major exhibition to explore the Vaishnava tradition in art," said Frist Center Executive Director Dr. Susan H. Edwards.

The Frist Center, whose vision is "to inspire people through art," has hosted a spectacular array of art from the region, the country and around the world. William R. Frist is the Chairman of Board of Trustees. Vishnu is the "preserver" in the Hindu triad with Brahma and Shiva. He had ten incarnations to establish dharma (divine law). Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world.It has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

Capital of the state of Tennessee, Nashville is known as "pilgrimage center" of country-music and home of Vanderbilt University. It is famous for its honky tonk bars.