Avatar: Forms of Vishnu at Art Gallery of New South Wales

20 June – 5 October 2026

This captivating exhibition brings together centuries of art and storytelling
from South and Southeast Asia celebrating Vishnu, the Hindu deity who
preserves order in the universe.

Avatar , meaning ‘descent’ in Sanskrit, describes the many forms Vishnu
takes to descend from the heavens to restore balance on earth. In sculpture,
painting, textiles, photographs and film, the exhibition traces the ways
artists have envisioned Vishnu’s various avatars, including Matsya the fish,
Kurma the tortoise, the beloved Krishna, the noble prince Rāma, and Kalki, the
future avatar who will bring renewal.

Brimming with tales of heroism, love and devotion, the exhibition presents
exceptional historical and contemporary art from renowned collections in
Australia, India, Cambodia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It also
introduces new works created especially for the exhibition by artists Desmond
Lazaro, Gitanjali Das, Kalam Patua and Sumakshi Singh.

Book your ticket now and add a unique cultural highlight to your trip to
Sydney.

All public areas inside both buildings can be accessed by ramps and lifts, as
well as stairs and elevators.

The exhibition is open in Naala Badu, (modern, glass building). Enter the
building, and make your way to the entrance of the exhibition on Lower Level
Two.

Bundle with an Australian Art Stories Tour or lunch at Crafted by Matt Moran
or MOD Dining for the most immersive experience at Art Gallery of New South
Wales.

Opening Hours: Daily 10.00am - 5.00pm, and Wednesdays until 10pm.

Travel for good: The Art Gallery of New South Wales is a not-for-profit
organisation. Proceeds from tours go towards supporting our aim to make art
accessible for all through our ambitious exhibitions and programs

Images: Lotus-clad Radha and Krishna c1700–1710 (detail), Art Gallery of
New South Wales; Visitors to Naala Badu at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
© Art Gallery of New South Wales, Anna Kucera; Master of the first generation
after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler _ _Vishnu as Matsya, Vishnu's fish avatar
_ c1775, Museum Rietberg, Zurich; Mahesh of Chamba Varāha avatara, the boar
incarnation of Vishnu 1East India/Nepal, Figure of Vishnu in the lotus 1100s,
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, presented by Mrs Hoey, photo © Ashmolean Museum,
University of Oxford750–75, Museum Rietberg, Zurich_