As Hinduism developed in India, it enveloped a vast range of local deities into its pantheon; many new deities also emerged over time. Many Hindus regarded these deities, totaling some 330 million by some believers’ count, as manifestations of one supreme, universal spirit, known as Brahman.

Similar to Christianity, some Hindus explain this singular entity as a trinity of male forms: Brahma (The Creator), Shiva (The Destroyer), and Vishnu (The Preserver). Other Hindus, however, explain the supreme deity in female form, or Shakti. Shakti manifests herself as a variety of powerful goddesses: Durga, Lakshmi, Parvati, Sarasvati, and Kali. These deities, whether male or female, may manifest themselves in a variety of forms, including avatars.

Explore the world of this Indian sculpture through an exquisite exhibition of such avatars.

With thanks and appreciation to Professor Michael W. Meister, W. Norman Brown Professor of South Asia Studies, University of Pennsylvania, and his students (Nachiket Chanchani, Sarah Gibbons, Rubab Qureshi, and Steven Vose) for their assistance in research. With special thanks also to Dr. Henri Schildt, Independent Scholar, Helsinki, for his research and reattribution of the sculpture of Subrahmanya.

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Decorative Arts Corridor

The Japanese have printed fabric for centuries using katagami, hand carved mulberry paper stencils. These stencils’ intricate designs and bold style amazed the European and American artists who encountered katagami at the turn of the century. Many became collectors and drew inspiration from these stencils—including architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose library from the Little House is on view at the Museum. This selection of katagami from the collection highlights their appealing designs and cross-cultural history.

There will be four rotations of katagami; the first will be on view April 8–August 5, 2018.

Katagami: The Japanese Stencil is supported through the generosity of the Harry C. Trexler Trust, Julius and Katheryn Hommer Foundation, The Century Fund, Bernard and Audrey Berman Foundation, Leon C. and June W. Holt Endowment, Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Friends of the Museum.

Scheller, Rodale, and Fowler Galleries

Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present, guest curated by distinguished photographic historian Gail Buckland, highlights sport photographers and their place in the history of photography, not merely sports history.

As the exhibition demonstrates, the finest sports photographers, their skills honed from years of practice, are capable of capturing a fleeting moment and making it memorable, often from a surprising or revealing point of view. Driven to freeze action and portray what the naked eye alone cannot see, sports photographers have played a leading role in the evolution of camera and film technology.

Featuring more than two hundred photographs Buckland has chosen for their aesthetic, cultural and historical significance, the exhibition includes images of many different sports from nations around the globe. The period it covers—1843 to the present—makes it the most thorough exhibition of sports photographers ever organized. The exhibition will be divided into sections that focus on themes such as the beginnings of sports photography, the Olympics, solo and team sports, portraits, life off the field, and fans. In its breadth and beauty, Who Shot Sports captures its subject’s universal appeal.

Header image: Bob Martin (British, born 1959). Serena, 2004, printed 2016. Inkjet print, 8 1/2 x 12 7/8 in. (21.6 x 32.8cm). Courtesy Bob Martin.

Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present  is organized by the Brooklyn Museum and curated by Gail Buckland, Benjamin Menschel

Distinguished Visiting Professor at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.

A companion book published by Alfred A. Knopf accompanies the exhibition.

The Allentown Art Museum would like to thank the Presenting Sponsor of Who Shot Sports:

Additional support for the presentation of Who Shot Sports at the Allentown Art Museum has been provided by the County of Lehigh, Service Electric Cable TV and Communications, Coordinated Health and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

The exhibition program at the Museum is supported through the generosity of the Harry C. Trexler Trust, Julius and Katheryn Hommer Foundation, The Century Fund, Bernard and Audrey Berman Foundation, Leon C. and June W. Holt Endowment, Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Friends of the Museum.

Fuller Gallery

During the first half of the twentieth century, sports became an increasingly popular pastime for men and women alike. This new passion for athletics revolutionized American fashion and culture in the 1920s and 1930s. Who Wore Sports features textiles and clothing that reflect this interest in sports as part of a fashionable lifestyle. From croquet to football, the printed fabrics on view in this exhibition offer a novel perspective on sports of this era—and attest to the joy that these activities continue to inspire today.

Who Wore Sports is supported through the generosity of the Harry C. Trexler Trust, Julius and Katheryn Hommer Foundation, The Century Fund, Bernard and Audrey Berman Foundation, Leon C. and June W. Holt Endowment, Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Friends of the Museum.