The World of the Gods - OPENING April 16, 2011

Opening reception Sat, Apr 16, 5-7pm; exhibit runs through May 8

This exhibition represents a sampling of two genres in the imagery of the gods and goddesses of contemporary Hindu and Buddhist South Asia - regional conventions dating back two thousand years, and modernist deconstructions of tradition with creative, sometimes playful reconfigurations. These two genres co-exist in today's South Asia, influencing each other in unexpected ways and making for the richness of a continuing transpersonal visual engagement.

The Saturday, April 16th event will feature curator, Debashish Banerji, in conversation with CIIS graduate and scholar, Siddhartha Shah.

Curator Debashish Banerji has a PhD in art history from UCLA, and teaches courses in Asian art history at Pasadena City College. He is the author of the book The Alternate Nation of Abanindranath Tagore published by Sage International. Banerji has curated a number of exhibitions in the U.S. and India, including Divine Carriers: Recent Art from India and Nepal, at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles; and Contours of Modernity: Contemporary Art of India at the Soka University; Aliso Viejo, California.

World of the Gods will be on view in the third and fourth floor galleries at CIIS through May 8.

Official Website: http://www.ciis.edu/About_CIIS/The_Arts_at_CIIS.html