Osian’s presents Osian Asian II, an exhibition showcasing a brilliant selection of rare Indian and Asian art works. Representing myriad styles, mediums and cultures that have recently been acquired and added to the rapidly expanding Osian’s Archive and Library Collection, this exhibition will be open to the public from 4 – 20 July at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Tracing the parallel journey of art and civilization the exhibition includes Asian art works from Japan, China, Tibet, Nepal, Cambodia and India and spans artistic traditions from the B.C. period to the 20^th century.

 The highlights include early 13-18^th century Tibetan & Nepali Thangkas from the famed Jucker Collection. Historically significant, no other public or private collection contains such an excellent range of these works. Osian’s views its acquiring them as a great way to re-energize and re-excite our people by sharing these rare and beautiful works of art with them. A set of about fifty Kabuto or helmets (16^th to 19^th century) used by the great Samurai warriors of Japan and exhibited for the first time alongside the Japanese full body armour, provides a rare glimpse into the complex and hierarchical world of the Japanese Samurai warrior. This unrivalled and spectacular collection of helmets spans over seven centuries of Japanese history. Each suit of Japanese armor (Kikou) and Japanese Helmet (Kabuto) truly has a soul or chi as well as a personality of its own. These stunning works of Japanese art were all made by hand and by highly skilled craftsmen. Meticulous attention was given to the smallest detail of the body armour.

Another highlight is the Japanese Dolls, which have a spiritual significance in Japan. Over the past millennium, the making of human figures has moved comfortably between the talisman, the souvenir, the sacred object and the plaything. Dressed in the finest cloth, often woven or painted especially with appropriately tiny motifs, they were made of wood, reeds, paper, pottery or even ivory. A rare extraordinary pair of automatons made as show-stopping displays of Chinese popular craftsmanship, for one of the greatest trade fairs in the United States have been recently acquired by Osian’s and are put on show.

 Miniature Paintings from the Pahari and Rajasthani Schools have been exhibited, particularly the cult of the Devi, who enjoyed an importance in the court of the Pahari rulers who were her ardent worshippers. This series of about twenty paintings done in the court of the Mandi rulers during the eighteenth century represent the story of the Goddess Kali battling the demon Raktabija from the seminal religious text, the Devi Mahatamya.

 “If you do not know and respect your history and culture, embedding such in the present, our contemporary relevance will always vacillate in disequilibrium. We at Osian’s are continuing our obsession to hopefully rebuild one of the great knowledge-bases of our civilization’ said Neville Tuli, Founder- Chairman Osian’s.

 Establishing an interface with the public and contributing to the mass awareness of love of art, culture and history has been a preoccupation of Osian’s since inception. The Osianama, Osian’s forthcoming arts and film museum-archive-entertainment center scheduled to open in September 2009 in Mumbai, is the medium term culmination of this vision and marks a significant step towards strengthening Osian’s commitment in sharing its wealth of art and knowledge with the public.