Tiny treasures focus of spring de Saisset exhibit
By Tasia Endo
Size doesn't matter: It's the tiny artworks that will attract large crowds to the de Saisset Museum this spring. "Miniature Worlds: Art from India," which opened on April 10, features the intricately created miniature paintings, drawings and sculptures from 15th through 19th century India.
Depicting themes of Hindu and Jain deities, love, heroism, battles, hunts, religion, history and portraiture, "Miniature Worlds" provides insight into Indian culture.
"The primary thing that's wonderful about the exhibition is that it's an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the Bay Area," said de Saisset Museum curator Karen Kienzle. "This is a unique opportunity to really celebrate this wonderful diverse community that's in our backyard, that many of us might not be familiar with."
Spanning a period of 400 years prior to Western colonization, the 65 pint-sized pieces in "Miniature Worlds" represent the Rajput and Mughal periods, both pivotal in South Asian history, in India and Pakistan in particular.
Political power shifting from Rajput to Mughal produced the distinct painting traditions of diminutive scale: Rajput focused on religious imagery, while Mughal centered on history painting and portraiture. Displayed together, the two traditions illustrate the intermixing of South Asian cultures during the time.
Artworks similar to those in "Miniature Worlds" have also influenced contemporary artists. Museum visitors can witness this phenomenon with the companion show, "Sacred Images: Deities and Marriages in Mithila Painting."
Though not miniature, the contemporary folk art paintings on paper in "Sacred Images" demonstrate the legacy of the art in "Miniature Worlds" as they depict Hindu deities and continue the religious art tradition.
"I think these works have universal appeal just because of the obsessiveness with which they were created," said Kienzle. "There's a lot of intense subject matter that relates to narratives, stories, spirituality. But even without knowing all of that background, you can enjoy these works on a formal level, and the detail is extraordinary."
While the preference for the petite has been lost on the West where bigger is better, "Miniature Worlds" is a big occasion for everyone.
"It's very rare to have a chance to see these works," said Kienzle. "So I encourage people to come and see the exhibition because these pieces are so rarely on view."
Organizations partnering with the de Saisset to support its spring shows bear witness to the importance of "Miniature Worlds." The Society for Art and Cultural Heritage of India in San Francisco, the India Community Center in both Milpitas and Sunnyvale and the Aicon Gallery in Palo Alto have collaborated with the de Saisset Museum to promote Indian art and culture.
Santa Clara groups also endorse "Miniature Worlds." The South Asian club Intandesh, the Center for Multicultural Learning and the Unity RLC are co-sponsoring this year's College Night. In its fifth year, College Night is an annual event for students to experience the current exhibits in a fun and social atmosphere, with food, hands-on art activities, tours and entertainment. In any context, either in the many programmed events or in a casual visit to the de Saisset Museum, "Miniature Worlds" is worth seeing.
"Santa Clara is a college where you learn not just about what is required, but you learn about life, you learn about compassion and consciousness, and being aware of the global community," said Intandesh co-chair, Anjuna Rose Antony. "This is a visual medium through which you can learn â?¦ I'm not saying it should be required, but I think it's important that people learn about other cultures around them and learn about other traditions."
The Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, Mass., organized "Miniature Worlds," which tours with ExhibitsUSA, and PinkMango: The Indian Artisan and the Ethnic Arts Foundation curated "Sacred Images." Both exhibits are free and remain on display until May 25.
Contact Tasia Endo at tendo@scu.edu.