Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain

The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art hosted Revealing Krishna over the summer of 2022. This exhibit transported visitors to a sacred mountain in the floodplains of southern Cambodia. The exhibition showcased a monumental sculpture of the Hindu god Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan to protect his people from a torrential storm sent by an angry god. For the first time, the sculpture was explored in the context of its original environment, as part of a multi-religious landscape and quite literally built into a mountain. This larger than life-size sculpture is one of eight monumental deity figures recovered from cave temples on the two-peaked mountain of Phnom Da near the ancient metropolis of Angkor Borei. The exhibition told the life story of this sculptural masterpiece—spanning 1,500 years and three continents—and unveiled the newly restored Krishna in an exhibition that integrated art, immersive video installations, and interactive design.

The exhibition included an original short film directed by renowned Cambodian American film maker praCh Ly. Titled Satook, a word of blessing spoken at the end of Cambodian prayers, the film examines the role of ancient sacred sites in present-day religious landscapes, and the transformation of religious traditions in Cambodian American diaspora communities.

A special thanks to the individuals in Satook: Sam Chhon, Bonieta Lach, Mea Lath, Pon “Carvi” Ly, and Loung Ung.

Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain is part of The Arts of Devotion, a five-year initiative dedicated to furthering civic discourse and the understanding of religion made possible by the Lilly Endowment Inc.

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