Tantra
enlightenment to revolution
Past exhibition
24 September 2020 – 24 January 2021
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This landmark exhibition explored the radical force that transformed the religious, cultural and political landscape of India and beyond.
A philosophy originating in medieval India, Tantra has been linked to successive waves of revolutionary thought, from its sixth-century transformation of Hinduism and Buddhism, to the Indian fight for independence and the rise of 1960s counterculture.
Centering on the power of divine feminine energy, Tantra inspired the dramatic rise of goddess worship in medieval India and continues to influence contemporary feminist thought and artistic practice. From its inception to the present day, Tantra has challenged societal conventions around the world.
Aspects of Tantric philosophy can be found across Asia's diverse cultures, but it remains largely unknown – or misrepresented – in the West. The exhibition showcased extraordinary objects from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, Japan, the UK and USA, from the seventh century AD to the present, and included masterpieces of sculpture, painting, prints and ritual objects.
