We recently visited the Columbia Museum of Art to see their latest exhibition we’d been hearing about: Visions from India: 21st-Century Art from the Pizzuti Collection.

With masks on and eyes open, we were ready to see something other than the inside of our homes. Little did we know, we would journey across the world and dive into a world of 21st-century Indian culture. Here’s what we experienced and why we think you should #TryThis.

Experience:

Visions from India: 21st-Century Art from the Pizzuti Collection exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art

What we tried (with pricing):

We walked through the exhibition and were surprised to see a collection of ultra-contemporary works from major global artists from India and its diaspora, including large-scale, kinetic sculptures/installations, including a swinging sword, a sushi conveyor belt situation, and aluminum dog skeletons that watch you. More on those later.

What’s special about this exhibition is that it’s not traveling to other museums (it's a one-off loan from the private Pizzuti Collection) – so it’s the only opportunity in the country to see these works – and it’s really impactful to see it in person. It’s on view now through Jan. 10, 2021.

Luckily, the art museum has a ton of safety precautions in place, including enforced distancing in galleries, signage reminders to keep your distance, touch-free guides, and lots of sanitization going on. Masks are required, all spaces have capacity limits, and there’s even a state of the art air purification system in use to keep not only the art safe, but the guests, too.

Museum admission ranges from $5-10 (free for members, for kids 6 and under, and for all on First Thursday), and you can now buy tickets in advance.

What not to miss:

As you walk through the exhibition, there are so many eye-catching installations – but don’t sleep on the aluminum dog skeletons that watch you. Yes, you read that correctly. These skeletons that are cast in aluminum + encased in acrylic are watching your every step. Do a double-take at the video screen and experience this installation from the perspective of the dogs.

What we’re still talking about:

The sushi conveyor belt is a stunner, for sure. This elaborate art features mixed metal lunch boxes that not only highlights a cultural experience from India but it is constantly on the move. It will leave you wondering + perhaps a tad hungry.

See video from our full tour of the exhibition on our #TryThis Instagram Story Highlight.

How you can experience this:

Reserve your tickets online in advance for an in-person visit.

Things to know if you go:

Experience: Visions from India exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art
Price: $5-10 (free for museum members, children under 6, and for all on First Thursday)
Website: https://www.columbiamuseum.org/view/visions-india
Address: 1515 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201
Hours: Wed.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Click here for holiday hours.)
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