This exhibition is the first dedicated display of the University of Melbourne’s collection of thirty vibrant and unusual Madhubani paintings on paper from Northern India. Originally acquired in 1982 as an aid in teaching Hindu mythology by the former Department of Indian Studies, the collection reflects the strong connections between the university’s cultural collections and its teaching programs.

Companion works include Melbourne artist Louise Paramor's series of luminous head-and-shoulder portraits, with simply inscribed first names depicting the Indian artist friends she met during a three-month Asialink residency in 1995 at the Bharat Bhavan Multi-Arts Complex in Bhopal. This exhibition exemplifies the spirit of the ongoing engagement of many Australian artists with Indian culture.

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