Magic Of India Coming To Bradford

Thursday, 17 March 2016 13:21

Two exhibitions celebrating the magic of India will be showcased at a special event in Bradford this weekend.

The ‘India’s Gateway: Gujarat, Mumbai & Britain’ and ‘Celebrating Ganesha’ exhibitions will both be open on Sunday 20 March at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford’s premiere venue for the visual arts.

‘India’s Gateway’ is a major new exhibition by renowned UK photographer Tim Smith, that weaves together photographs, film and people’s stories to explore the fascinating story of Gujarat and Mumbai as age-old centres of trade and migration, focusing on their links with Britain. This exhibition will be launched at the event and will run from 20 March to 3 July 2016.

India’s Gateway is organised by Tim Smith and Oriental Arts (Bradford) Ltd, working alongside Bradford Council’s Museums and Galleries Service and the University of Bradford. The exhibition is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund.

Tim Smith said: "From food, film and fashion to trade and industry, interest in India is booming, and Gujarat and Mumbai are leading the way. My work is inspired by the region’s vibrant mix of cultures, and how that mix has been shaped by a rich history of trade, seafaring and migration, particularly Gujarat and Mumbai’s close connections with Britain. It’s been fantastic to work with many different communities both here and in India. Lots of people have contributed stories and ideas to the show.”

At the heart of the ‘Celebrating Ganesha’ exhibition is a beautiful stone sculpture of Ganesha the popular elephant-headed Hindu god (pictured). Carved from schist in Orissa (recently renamed Odisha) around 800 years ago, this statue was originally positioned in a niche on the outer face of a Hindu temple. The display brings this sculpture together with other depictions to explore his role as a figure of public celebration and private devotion in India and around the world. ‘Celebrating Ganesha’ is touring across seven venues across the UK as part of the British Museum’s National Programmes. The exhibition will be at Cartwright Hall until Sunday 15 May.

Nilesh Mistry, curator of International and Decorative Art at Cartwright Hall, said: "We are delighted that these two exhibitions are coming to Bradford. The sculpture of Ganesha is quite a unique sculpture and has some really detailed carvings. The photographs by Tim Smith contained in the stunning ‘ India’s Gateway’ exhibition are particularly evocative and show the vibrancy of India.”

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