Yaks, Yetis, Yogis

Tibet in Comics

14 July – 10 November 2013

The inaccessible land of legends on the roof of the world has long served as a focus for Western fantasies. Comic cartoonists, too, have been inspired for more than 60 years by Tibet’s magical aura. In comic cartoons it becomes as much a place of learning for superheroes as a hideout for evil villains. Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and company have their adventures in a clichéd Shangri-La. Other comics incorporate Tibetan history and include religious or political themes. But the Tibet of the comics is always a place of the mystical and the extraordinary. The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to browse through this rich comic literature.

Organized by the Rubin Museum of Art, New York

1588 Persia – Europe – Iran 2013

Work in Progress

27 September 2013 – 12 January 2014

The bonds linking Europe and Persia became closer after 1600. This began with the Persian legation under Mehdi Qoli Beg at the court of Rudolf II and continued with the establishment of English and Dutch merchants as well as French religious orders in Isfahan. The cultural exchange had a lasting influence. Bearing testimony to this are the representations of contemporary Persians in Dutch paintings, the ‘European’ nude in Persian art, or the Persian sash as an integral part of the Polish national costume. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to contemporary Iranian art and addresses the question how we perceive Iran today.

With the support of the Vontobel Foundation

Canopies of the Goddess

Textile Art from Gujarat, India

13 December 2013 – 13 April 2014

‘Canopies of the Goddesses’ is the name given to large-scale illustrated textiles in Gujarat which mark the sacred place for the veneration of goddesses. They tell in pictures of the deeds of the deities and their worship. The goddesses were supposed to sit on these ‘temple cloths’ during the ritual. The exhibition shows a selection of these extraordinary textiles. It gives a glimpse into the techniques and production processes, their religious iconography and ritual use. The ‘temple cloths’ shown here are part of the important textile collection which the former director and current president of the Rietberg Gesellschaft, Dr Eberhard Fischer, recently gave to the museum.

Indian Paintings in the Park-Villa Rieter

Courtly elegance: Scenes from Indian Princely States
4 December 2012 – 1 August 2013

Secret Garden: The Collection of D. Porret
3 August – 1 December 2013

Christ in India: Christian Motifs in Indian painting
From 3 December 2013