PHOENIX, AZ.- Through March 29, 2020, Phoenix Art Museum presents Guru Nanak: 550th Birth Anniversary of Sikhism’s Founder, which examines the life and teachings of the First Sikh Guru. Spanning four centuries, the exhibition showcases approximately 25 historical and contemporary works that depict stories of Guru Nanak’s spiritual journeys and illuminate how his concept of oneness has informed Sikh writings and practices since the 15th century.

“We are delighted to share Guru Nanak: 550th Birth Anniversary of Sikhism’s Founder with our community,” said Gilbert Vicario, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs and the Selig Family Chief Curator of Phoenix Art Museum. “This exhibition offers deep insight into the founding tenets of Sikhism and reinforces our commitment to building awareness of our city’s diverse communities through art.”

The First Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469–1539) was a philosopher and poet who traveled for nearly 30 years and completed four major journeys during his life, interacting with holy men of various faiths in India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. He eventually founded the city of Kartarpur (place of Divine), where he served as a spiritual guide for the first Sikh community until his death. Guru Nanak taught that there is only one Divine Spirit, whom all people can access without rituals or priestly intervention. His concept of oneness grew to include spiritual, sociological, and humanitarian insights that have informed the cornerstone of Sikhism—the belief that the Divine is One and all creation is equal, transcending social distinctions such as caste, creed, gender, or circumstance.

Featuring paintings, lithographs, and more from the 18th century through the 21th century, Guru Nanak: 550th Birth Anniversary of Sikhism’s Founder depicts stories from the Janam Sakhi, or the texts dedicated exclusively to the life and teachings of Guru Nanak. These stories, which include anecdotes and hymns, attest to the Guru’s wisdom and his many interactions with the communities he met through his travels.

“The 18th- and 19th-century works by anonymous artists in the exhibition depict Guru Nanak in classical Indian settings in the delicate and formal style of the Mughal period of Indian traditional painting, while 20th- and 21st-century works by several renowned artists adapt a variety of international styles,” said Janet Baker, PhD, curator of Asian art at Phoenix Art Museum. “Some of these works display the bold use of blocks of color, whereas others adapt a distinctively expressive style that radiates spiritual energy. However, all of them, when viewed and experienced together, illuminate the universal themes of tolerance, equality, social responsibility, and devotion to truth that inform Sikhism, now the world’s fifth largest religion.”

Guru Nanak: 550th Birth Anniversary of Sikhism’s Founder is presented in the Khanuja Family Sikh Heritage Gallery, the second gallery space in the United States dedicated exclusively to the exhibition of Sikh art. The exhibition continues the Museum’s initiative to showcase artwork and objects that explore themes of Sikh history and visual culture.