The Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe at the Asian Art Museum
October 21—January 15, 2017

Bloody battles, daring rescues, passionate romance and a shape-shifting monkey warrior. One of the world’s greatest works of literature, the Rama epic teems with excitement and, for many, is a sacred tradition. This unprecedented exhibition explores how the epic has been portrayed and performed across South and Southeast Asia over the past 1,500 years. Exquisite artworks from museums in the U.S. and Europe illuminate the story’s key characters, revealing fresh perspectives on moral quandaries that continue to be relevant to our lives today. Highlights include ancient and modern sculptures, paintings, puppets, masks, architectural details and popular multimedia from India, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia.

The story has been interpreted in every artistic medium and for decades has even sparked the imagination of countless devotees through classic comics. In keeping with this tradition, the Asian Art Museum has teamed up with five Bay Area illustrators to re-imagine this beloved South Asian tale in their own visual storytelling styles. Each scene has been included in a limited-edition offset comic booklet, entitled Drawing Rama, which will be made available in our museum store. Meet the illustrators at the museum on Saturday, November 5th and follow #DrawingRama on social media.

Don’t miss the museum’s Divali Celebration on Sunday, October 23 with FREE general admission courtesy of Target. A small special exhibition surcharge will be applied.

For tickets and details, visit www.asianart.org/rama.

This post is brought to you by the Asian Art Museum.