Subodh Gupta Transforms Sackler Pavilion Into Immersive Urban Landscape

Sackler Contemporary Installation “Terminal” Opens as Part of National Museum of Asian Art’s Reopening Oct. 14

A monumental installation, “Terminal,” by internationally acclaimed artist Subodh Gupta (b. 1964, Khagaul, Bihar, India) will be displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art reopening this fall. On view Oct. 14–June 24, 2018, “Terminal” also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Sackler opening in 1987.

Gupta often reconfigures functional objects, such as food containers and utensils, typically found in India. For the grand installation “Terminal,” he turns to an architectural feature that dots the horizons of Indian cities. The work is composed of approximately 30 gleaming brass towers that recall the form of spires often adorned with religious symbols and installed on top of mosques, temples and churches. The towers range from 1 to 15 feet tall and are without any particular symbol designating religious affiliation. Fine threads connect each generic tower, creating an intricate and delicately balanced arrangement evocative of a dense urban landscape. A narrow path cuts through the installation, offering visitors a stunning immersive experience.

“Gupta extracts humble objects from daily life and emphasizes their symbolic potential through scale and materials,” said Carol Huh, the National Museum of Asian Art’s curator for contemporary art. “In ‘Terminal,’ he recontextualizes a familiar shape to encourage reflection on the idea of community, especially in a world increasingly challenged by religious differences.”

Gupta will speak about his work Sunday, Oct. 15, as part of the National Museum of Asian Art IlluminAsia Festival, a weekend of programs celebrating the museums’ reopening. A newly redesigned Sackler Contemporary website will provide a more in-depth look at Gupta’s work.

About “Sackler Contemporary”

The Sackler Gallery has presented major works of contemporary Asian art throughout its galleries for nearly two decades. Under the series named Perspectives, the Sackler Pavilion has featured solo installations and new commissions on a continuous basis since 2003. Artists presented include Yayoi Kusama, Cai Guo-Qiang, Y.Z. Kami, Anish Kapoor, Chiharu Shiota, Rina Banerjee, Do-Ho Suh, Hale Tenger, Ai Weiwei and Michael Joo among others.

“Subodh Gupta: Terminal” marks the relaunch of the museum’s contemporary Asian art program as Sackler Contemporary. On the occasion of the Sackler’s 30th anniversary, Sackler Contemporary celebrates the broader history of, and ongoing commitment to, exhibiting the rich diversity of contemporary Asian art to U.S. audiences.

“Subodh Gupta: Terminal” is sponsored by Altria Group. Additional funding is provided by the Endowment for Contemporary Asian Art, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Exhibition appears courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth.

About the Artist

Gupta received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the College of Arts & Crafts in Patna, India, before moving to New Delhi, where he now lives and works. Gupta has exhibited his work in major biennials, and it has been the subject of exhibitions across Asia and Europe. Solo exhibitions were presented at the Kiran Nadar Museum in New Delhi; National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia; Victoria & Albert Museum in London; MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt, Germany; and Savannah College of Art & Design, Savanna, Ga., among others.

About the National Museum of Asian Art

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching and interpreting art in ways that deepen our collective understanding of Asia, the United States and the world. Home to more than 46,000 objects, the museum stewards one of North America’s largest and most comprehensive collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Islamic world. Its rich holdings bring the arts of Asia into direct dialogue with an important collection of 19th- and early 20th-century art from the United States, providing an essential platform for creative collaboration and cultural exchange between the U.S., Asia and the Middle East.

Beginning with a 1906 gift that paved the way for the museum’s opening in 1923, the National Museum of Asian Art is a leading resource for visitors, students and scholars in the United States and internationally. Its galleries, laboratories, archives and library are located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and are part of the world’s largest museum complex, which typically reports more than 27 million visits each year. The museum is free and open to the public 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25), making its exhibitions, programs, learning opportunities and digital initiatives accessible to global audiences.

For more information, visit the museum’s website and follow updates on Instagram at @natasianart, Twitter at @NatAsianArt and Facebook at @NatAsianArt.

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