Tantra
enlightenment to revolution
Past exhibition
24 September 2020 – 24 January 2021
Room 35
The Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery
Sign up to our emails and be the first to hear about upcoming exhibitions and events.
For the catalogue, visit the British Museum Shop.
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.
Curator's tour of 'Tantra: enlightenment to revolution'
Highlights
-
![Stone figure of the god Bhairava, seated, 4-armed, holding a sword, damaru, severed head and trident]()
Bhairava, Lord of the Demonic Dead
-
![Varahi, the sow-headed goddess, made of sandstone]()
Varahi, the sow-headed goddess
-
![Painting of two women visiting a religious mendicant]()
A noblewoman visits two Tantric yoginis
-
![Thang-ka (painting on textile) depicting the yi-dam Samvara with wisdom partner. Above are Dipamkara, Sakyamuni and Maitreya; below Amitayus flanked by the Green and White Taras.]()
Chakrasamvara (Wheel of Bliss) in union with the goddess Vajrayogini (Thunderbolt Yogini)
-
![Thangka (painting on textile) with four mandalas]()
'Thangka' with four 'mandalas'
-
![Khatvanga, the handle surmounted by a vajva above a skull and two human heads, then four leaves draping a vase, crossed vajras, a lotus bud, the octagonal shaft tapering to a vajra tip.]()
Tantric 'khatvanga'
-
![Colourful print of the Tantric goddess Kali, holding a head in one hand.]()
The icon at Kalighat temple
-
![Poster advertising the Eden Hashish centre, featuring Himalayan mountains in the background.]()
Eden Hashish Centre poster
-
![Red and pink painting, made up of a central oval element suggesting the shape of a figure sitting in asana]()
The art of Neo-Tantra
-
![Dashrath Ram drinking tea from a skull-cup]()
Photograph of Dashrath Ram
Reviews
Exhibition supporter
The Bagri Foundation is pleased to be lead supporter of Tantra: enlightenment to revolution, an exhibition which explores the wider, lesser-known philosophies of this belief system and its impact throughout history.
With a keen interest in Tantric Art and its principles – its ability to inspire spiritual awakening and its quest for universal truth – the Foundation believes that traditional ideas of Tantra are wholly relevant to a contemporary world.
A key tenet of the Bagri Foundation is to contribute to global discourse by sharing knowledge and expertise about cultures across Asia. We are pleased to partner with the British Museum for the first time, especially on a major exhibition which brings Tantra to a wider community.
