March 2009 - Nr. 3
ROM opens its South Asian and Middle East galleries
by Lucille de Saint-Andre
There was a marked contrast in the blustery February storm and the serenity of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje South Asian Gallery which re-opened February 16 at the Royal Ontario Museum along with the new Wirth Gallery of the Middle East. The two galleries, located on Level 3 of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, were greeted by an enthusiastic arts journalist’s crowd. The original gallery, named in honour of Sir Christopher Ondaatje, C.B.E., O.C. opened at the ROM in 2000.
Spanning over 5000 years, it’s the first permanent gallery in Canada to highlight South Asian culture. Its 4,000 square feet offers tranquil space to its collection of more than 350 artifacts. In a way it is unique in North America, according to curator Deepali Dewan, because it embraces the history of South Asian art and culture from ancient times to today. For example, we see pieces from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization of 3500 - 1900 BC in contemporary Pakistan to the Sunga period 3rd - 2nd century BC in northern India.
The collection highlights religious objects and sculpture, decorative arts, arms and armour, miniature paintings and textiles, representing cultural traditions from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet and not only the past and objects commissioned by kings and queens but objects used in daily living by the average person. What’s great about this, says curator Dewan, is the contemporary angle of everyday objects that people can identify with, especially as Canada has a large South Asian population.
William Thorsell, the ROM’s director and CEO says, "The ROM is grateful to Sir Christopher Ondaatje, whose ongoing support has again enabled the ROM to bring more of its objects out of its collections areas and into the public eye, where they belong."
One of the most striking objects in the gallery is a large stucco head of a Bodhisattva, dated to 4th - 5th century. A Bodhisattva is a follower of Gautama Buddha, the original Buddha, born in ancient India. Judged by the size of the head the complete figure probably stood six metres tall. The symmetrical features, delicate curls and serene expression were meant to inspire awe. A recent addition is a woman by Navjot Altaf, 2002, made of teak, and painted a deep blue or indigo. She was found in a New York gallery. This piece makes reference to one of the iconic works of Western modernism, Duchamp’s Bottle Rack, on which she sits.
A dancing gopi by Jamini Roy, one of the fathers of modern Indian art, an iconic image of an Indian woman. Gouache, cardboard, circa 1950.
The second gallery that opened is The Wirth Gallery of the Middle East named in honour of Alfred Wirth, in appreciation of his generous support of Renaissance ROM and the Royal Ontario Museum. The Wirth Gallery explores civilizations that started in the Fertile Crescent and beyond, including the current day regions of Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan Lebanon, the West Bank, Syria, Turkey and Yemen.
Alfred Wirth says, "Museums have an important role to play in furthering our understanding of ourselves, and of each other. — I am delighted that the Middle Eastern collections will be displayed in the Wirth Gallery of the Middle East, as so much of our civilization originates from this region."
The more than 1,000 artifacts of both eastern and western civilizations through culture and technology run from the Paleolithic Age to AD 1900.
Krzysztof Ciuk, Assistant Curator, Material Culture of Islam, said his team wanted to highlight the history of the lands which, both in the past and present, remain under cultural and religious influence of the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia and Levant. The Ancient Spirituality and Religious Section explores the beginnings of humankind’s expression of faith through ancient practices.
The display of Jewish ossuaries and Christian and Islamic religious objects demonstrate the arrival of the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
