Mudra, a Sanskrit term, refers to symbolic hand gestures widely seen in Hindu and Buddhist art. These gestures are also central to Bharatanatyam, the classical Indian dance that Ashwini Bhat has studied for seventeen years. The sonnet, traditionally a fourteen-line poem with a set rhyme scheme, serves as both inspiration and a structural framework for Forrest Gander, who has spent two decades reimagining its form in contemporary poetry.
Just as a sequence of mudras can convey meaning and emotion through subtle movement, the sonnet shapes narrative with its formal constraints. In this exhibition, lenticular prints add another dimension: words and images appear or fade depending on the viewer’s angle, creating a dynamic experience of revelation and concealment.
Here, Bhat’s fourteen mudras and Gander’s corresponding single-line poems are interwoven like two sonnets, inviting visitors to reflect on gesture, language, intimacy, and interdependence.
Date: 27 October 2025 (Monday) to 23 November 2025 (Sunday)
Venue: Exhibition Area, G/F, University Library, CUHK
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 8:20am – 10pm
Saturdays: 8:20am – 7pm
Sundays: 11am – 7pm
(Please refer to the University Library for the latest opening hours.)
