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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2008

Endowment encourages collaboration between University of Florida faculty
and Harn Museum of Art

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An Ocean of Devotion: South Asian Regional Worship Traditions developed as a direct result of collaboration between the Harn Museum of Art and the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions (CHiTra) at the University of Florida. This exhibition was made possible through the generous support of the Dr. Madelyn M. Lockhart Endowment for Focus Exhibitions.

The endowment was established in 2003 and supports focus exhibitions at the Harn Museum of Art that are formed through collaboration with UF faculty in order to enhance teaching at the University of Florida. Dr. Madelyn Lockhart is a former UF Dean of the Graduate School and Professor Emeritus of Economics.

Distinguished professor of Religion Vasudha Narayanan and Cofrin Curator of Asian Art Jason Steuber, co-curators of An Ocean of Devotion, worked together to select 32 objects dating from the third century through the mid-twentieth century from the Harn Museum’s Asian art collection, some of which have never been exhibited previously.
 
The display, organization and groupings of the works center on specific deities, such as Vishnu, Ganesha, Krishna and Parvati, and explore narratives significant in the Hindu traditions. Each grouping juxtaposes works of various media and time periods to illustrate the continuity and change each figure undergoes due to regional and historical circumstances.

The exhibition is on view through October 19, 2008. Don’t miss the spotlight tour of this exhibition on May 11 at 2 p.m. and Vasudha Narayanan’s gallery talk on June 8 at 3 p.m.

Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art
The Harn Museum of Art at SW 34th St. and Hull Rd. is one of the largest university art museums in the country with nearly 7,000 works in its collection focusing on African, Asian, modern and contemporary art and photography. The museum enhances the activities of the University of Florida and serves a culturally diverse audience through educational programming. Admission is free. Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Parking is free on weekends. The Camellia Court Café is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum and café are open until 9 p.m. Thursdays for Museum Nights during the UF Academic calendar due to the generous support of UF Student Government. For more information call 352-392-9826 or visit www.harn.ufl.edu

Media contact:
Tami Wroath, Interim Director of Marketing and Public Relations
352.392.9826 x116
twroath@harn.ufl.edu