Paper short abstract:

This paper presents the solutions to some of the problems that come with exhibiting paintings from India. The Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw explores the ways of presenting them as fine art in the context of the theory of art from Sanskrit treatises of Brahmanical tradition.

Paper long abstract:

Exhibiting artworks and artefacts from India in Poland has always been a challenge. Despite a great interest in the culture of India, its artistic side is still little known here. The popular view of Indian culture concentrates on radiant colours, sensuality and mystery of exotic countries. Miniature painting is well known and its position as art is well established, but other kinds of painting struggle for proper reception. Maithili paintings, Bengali Pats, and other are still considered as folk art, expression of private, rural culture, and not as important as fine arts. While the truth is that they are the most valuable representations of visual culture and artistic tradition that has been continued for several centuries. The main challenge for a curator is then to exhibit these objects in a context, which would be easily understood by the viewers and would allow to broaden their perspective on the definition of fine arts.

In this paper I would like to present the solutions to some of the problems that arise while attempting this task. The Asia and Pacific Museum in Warsaw has a variegated collection of Indian paintings and as a curator of this collection I explore the ways of presenting them as fine art in the context of the theory of art from Sanskrit treatises of Brahmanical tradition. By exhibiting painting in such manner we create a space where they can be perceived and appreciated as artworks, but also we contribute to the better understanding of the culture of India.