How does the meaning of a sacred object change when it moves beyond its cultural and religious context and becomes part of a museum collection?
Image gallery
Deepak Tolange in den Sammlungen der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin (Ausstellung Absenz - Präsenz. Auf den Spuren von Nepals heiligem Shiva Linga)
This film and research project by visual anthropologist Deepak Tolange, which has come out of the “Collaborative Museum” (CoMuse) initiative, explores the meaning and history of the copper-gilded Chaturmukh Shiva Linga kosh in the Museum für Asiatische Kunst collections.
Combining historical materials and documentary recordings about worshipping the deity Shiva and how this is reflected in current religious practices, the film also examines the loss of Nepal’s cultural assets and highlights the spiritual significance of sacred objects for Hindu communities.
Deepak Tolange is continuing his research in Berlin, enquiring into the history of the Shiva Linga kosh within museum collections.
Curatorial Team: Sophia Bokop, Henriette Lavaulx-Vrécourt, Lilla Russell-Smith, Anna Szöke, Deepak Tolange
Artist: Deepak Tolange
Further information about the exhibition
- Regular €9 – An exhibition ticket is required for the Ethnological Collections and the Museum of Asian Art
- Venue: 3rd floor, Museum of Asian Art, Room 312
- Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday, 10.30 am – 6.30 pm. Closed on Tuesdays
- Duration: Saturday 28 November 2026 – Monday 29 November 2027
- Languages: German, English
