The exhibition Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art considers the compelling visual language of dance in the arts from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayan region from the first to the twenty-first century. Through religious, courtly, and everyday objects, the exhibition illustrates how dance occupies a uniquely important place in the region. The dance of the gods can provide religious and ethical lessons and can also symbolize power and majesty. In daily life, people have long danced for worship, for festivals, for the entertainment of emperors and princes, and for their own enjoyment. Experience the exceptional importance and power of dance in religious thought, literature, politics, and societal structures. Dance was–and is–not only for delight.
Jointly organized by the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Asian Art Museum, the exhibition premieres in Cincinnati before travelling to San Francisco in 2023. Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art is accompanied by an interdisciplinary, multi-author publication – available now from the museum shop in person and online.
