Published on: Aug 30, 2025 06:00 am IST
Art exhibition – Vighneśvara Kutumbaḥ: Gaṇeśa and His Celestial Family – is curated from the collection of British art historian and collector, Lance Dane.
When Ganpati Bappa arrives, His presence resonates in myriad ways. For art lovers in Delhi, the celebrations this year include an evocative showcase — Vighneśvara Kutumba: Ganeśa and His Celestial Family. The ongoing exhibition, inaugurated on Ganesh Chaturthi, draws from the collection of British art historian and collector Lance Dane, and is on display at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
“For the first time, masterpieces from the Lance Dane collection are being presented on public view, with interpretive panels on selected life tales of Ganeśa,” says Shilpi Roy, assistant professor and in-charge of the Cultural Archives at IGNCA.
The exhibition spans works from the 12th to the 20th century. Dane, who devoted his life to documenting India’s sacred imagination, donated part of his collection to IGNCA’s Cultural Archives.
The showcase presents varied depictions of the elephant-headed deity — as the son of Shiva and Parvati and as Kartikeya’s brother — with medieval and contemporary bronze artworks highlighting regional interpretations. “The exhibits represent artistic expressions rooted in folk cultures and reaffirm the enduring relevance of divine kinship,” Roy explains, adding that IGNCA president Ram Bahadur Rai has stressed the importance of introducing younger generations to India’s cultural heritage.
Catch It Live
What: Vighneśvara Kutumbaḥ: Gaṇeśa and His Celestial Family
Where: Darshanam Gallery, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath Building, Janpath
On till: September 5
Timing: 9am to 5.30pm
Nearest Metro Station: Janpath on the Violet Line
