The South Asia Collection

The South Asia Collection Norwich , UK📍
Explore exhibitions and displays showcasing the art and crafts of South & South East Asia in a former Victorian roller-skating rink

The SADACC Trust was established as a charity in 2010 (RCN 1137415). We are affiliated with the University of East Anglia through the Sainsbury Institute for Art. The Collection is housed in a restored Victorian roller skating rink in the centre of Norwich. Large architectural pieces are permanently displayed throughout the building. to display the diversity and range of the collection, a new exhibition is staged approximately every three months.

What do these images have in common? Look closely and you’ll see all feature a cross shaped gridded board game. This gam...
29/03/2025

What do these images have in common? Look closely and you’ll see all feature a cross shaped gridded board game. This game is called chaupar and has been played by many for centuries.

Originating in India, when this game started to be played in is disputed, but the earliest surviving evidence dates to the 16th century Mughal courts where people took on the role of the tokens in life size versions of the game played by emperors and noblemen. More typically, this game is small enough for 4 players to sit around and the objective is to move small tokens around the board by throwing long dice or cowries.

In order of appearance:
- Chamba rumal from Himachal Pradesh, India
- Chaupar board, Kala Raksha Trust, Gujarat, India
- Miniature painting, late 20th century



Image descriptions:

Image one shows a square beige embroidered textile. There is a large central chaupar board which has small squares of coloured pattern throughout. Surrounding it are figures smoking ho**ah pipes and a floral border.

Image two shows a dark red and blue chaupar board with intricate mirrorwork and embroidery. It is laid out next to its textile bag it folds into as well as embordered counters, cowrie shells and an instruction sheet.

Image three shows a minuature painting with two figures playing chaupar in the middle sat on a tiger skin. They are in between two trees and sat on textured earth. The background is warm yellow and there is a strip of blue sky at the top. The piece has a orange border.



We were delighted to host a film screening and short Q&A with artist;  and film maker; Annie Woodman recently. Annie and...
08/03/2025

We were delighted to host a film screening and short Q&A with artist; and film maker; Annie Woodman recently. Annie and Alec presented and talked about their short film documenting the craft process of Dhokra.
Annie and Alec visited Odisha in 2024 to record and document the Dhokra process to understand the regional nuances of the craft and learn more about objects in the museum collection through interactions with the craftspeople. This project was undertaken in collaboration with the UTSHA Foundation, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, established by Indian contemporary painter, Jagannath Panda.
This short film is part of our current exhibition if you'd like to visit and watch it for yourself.



image description: A picture showing a group of about 30 people sitting on rugs in our building engaging with a film screening and Q&A.

Several pieces in 'Dhokra - The Art of Lost Wax Casting' are stylistic representations of everyday scenes in villages. T...
01/03/2025

Several pieces in 'Dhokra - The Art of Lost Wax Casting' are stylistic representations of everyday scenes in villages. These are common objects produced for artistic consumption in craft fairs and souvenir markets. The figures are often heavily stylised depending on the makers aesthetic sensibilities. A common example of such stylised figures are the anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures pictured here.



Image descriptions: Image one shows a stylised small metal figure of a man lying down on a daybed and a woman sat next to him massaging his legs. Image two shows a scene of a three animal like figures one standing in the middle of a raised surface with a spiked tool and two sat looking up. Image three shows two figures laying in a woven bed.

Art museum

We are excited to feature our latest display, Dhokra - The Art of Lost Wax Casting 💫 With a variety of examples on displ...
18/02/2025

We are excited to feature our latest display, Dhokra - The Art of Lost Wax Casting 💫 With a variety of examples on display as well as a film documenting the craft process, there is plenty to take in. Do drop in for a visit and keep an eye on our socials for more information.



Image Description: A graphic white a green background and yellow text reading ‘Dhokra The Art of Lost Wax Casting’ next to an illustrated graphic of a stylised dhokra figure. Underneath is a picture of a dhokra figure of a horse with four figures on it. and underneath that is text reading ‘New display on from February 2025’

We are excited to announce that we are working on a new website for both The South Asia Collection and our shop,  We reg...
28/01/2025

We are excited to announce that we are working on a new website for both The South Asia Collection and our shop, We regret any inconvenience caused during this time.

If you have any queries for our museum team, please email us at: [email protected]

For any queries regarding our shop or if you would like to place and order, please contact: [email protected] or call us on 01603663890. Our staff will be happy to assist you.

If you would like to visit us, we are open as usual from:
Monday to Saturday: 9.30am - 5.00pm
34-36 Bethel Street, Norwich, NR2 1NR

Thank you for your understanding.



Image description: A photo of part of our permanent collection display with various items of vernacular South Asian furniture, architecture and other artwork in warm lighting.

🎶On the twelth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming🥁🎶Last but not least we have this colou...
24/12/2024

🎶On the twelth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming🥁🎶

Last but not least we have this colourful group of musicians, part of a model of a gamelan orchestra from Java, c1980. And that's a wrap on our festive countdown! 🎄💫

Our Holiday opening hours are:
Christmas Eve: 9.30-4pm
Christmas day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
27*h Dec: Closed
28* Dec: 9.30-5pm
29* Dec: Closed
30* Dec: 9.30-5pm
New years Eve: 9.30-4pm
New years day: Closed
2md Jan: 9.30-5pm (normal hours commence)
We wish you all a wonderful festive period!



Image descriptions:
Image one shows a group of 11 models of musicians in a group playing different instruments or singing. All painted in bright yellow, green, blue and red with gold white and black detailing.
Image two shows a glose up of a musician sitting at a low table with ten metal percussive instruments, he is wearing blue with a black hat and holding a stick to play them.
Image three shows a musician sitting at a large double gong/cymbal.
Image four shows a man in a red top sat at a big drum.




🎶On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten lords a leaping🎶💫For the tenth day, we have this Patachitra ...
22/12/2024

🎶On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten lords a leaping🎶💫

For the tenth day, we have this Patachitra painting depicting Lord Jagannath, the principal deity in the temple of Puri in Odisha. Jagannath is a form of Lord Vishnu who is believed to have ten avatars (incarnations), commonly known as Dashavatara. A closer look at this painting reveals these ten avatars being depicted too.



Image Description: A colourful detailed narrative painting with a temple with two big deities in the middle. The rest of the composition is segmented with various scenes and deities and the border is dark with repeat floral patterns.




🎶On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing🎶💃For our ninth day we present this chiaroscu...
21/12/2024

🎶On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing🎶💃

For our ninth day we present this chiaroscuro style dry point etching showing women dancing beneath a balcony from the early 20th century by artist William McCain. Chiaroscuro style originated during the Renaissance period, it is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to emphasise form, often dramaticing the composition.



Image description: a black and white picture showing 5 women, 3 in background two in foreground dancing, holding up the sides of their garments so the full fabric is in a fan-like shape around them. There are some balconies to the top right.




🎶On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, seven swans a swimming🎶🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢For our 7th day of Christmas we ...
19/12/2024

🎶On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, seven swans a swimming🎶🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢

For our 7th day of Christmas we have a miniature painting showing Vishnu mounted on Garuda and Indra on Eaiewat or Airavata (a celestial white elephant) with Lakshmi and Vishewamatra. Below them is a pond with several swans swimming amongst some lotus flowers.



Image description: A bright orange portrait painting with several figures across the centre. On the left there is Indra with both arms raised and a large blue headdress sat on a white elephant with a blue textile on its back. Coming in from the right is Vishnu sat on Garuda whose top half is a green parrot like form with a gold crown. Vishnu is holding a staff. Sat next to Vishnu is Lakshmi and Vishewamatra. At the top of the picture is a strip of blue with cloud like forms across. At the bottom of the picture is a pond with lily-pads, lotus flowers and white birds.



🎶On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six geese a laying🎶🪿🥚 We're halfway through our Festive countdow...
18/12/2024

🎶On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six geese a laying🎶🪿🥚

We're halfway through our Festive countdown and on our 6th day we have a Warli painting on raw canvas depicting a paddy harvest scene by Balu Jivya Mashe. Throughout the composition there are various birds and animals amongst people working the field. Look closely and you will see details such as a bird sitting on a nest of eggs, snakes chasing and eating rats and a figure of a deceased ancestor on the boundary of the field acting as a guardian of the crops.



Image Description: A large, detailed painting in brown background with white linework. It shows a central paddy field being harvested. There are a variety of animals and birds and people throughout the composition doing various activities. The figures and environment details use dot and linework and block geometric shapes for the forms of people.




🎶On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds 🐦‍⬛🦜🦩🦚🎶For the 4th day of Christmas, we prese...
16/12/2024

🎶On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds 🐦‍⬛🦜🦩🦚🎶

For the 4th day of Christmas, we present 4 calling birds shown nestled together in this Mithila painting titled 'Strange Bird' by Amrita Jha, 2013. Inspired by traditional Mithila painting motifs, this painting represents the mythical bird found in the garden of Raja Salhesh, a folk hero who is worshipped by communities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India.



Image description: This painting has 4 peacocks (2 on each side facing the other) from the neck up. They have big eyes, a yellow circular face and the neck is made up of detailed pattern work in black and white. The background is a repeat pattern of bold leaves in black and white.




🎶On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three French hens 🐔🐓🐔🎶Carved from wood and painted, these three c...
15/12/2024

🎶On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three French hens 🐔🐓🐔🎶

Carved from wood and painted, these three chickens are made in Odisha, India and are on display in different areas of our museum. Do drop in if you fancy a little game of eye-spy!



Image description: This shows a line of three painted chickens facing right but at an angle so you can see part of the front of each figure. They are made of wood and the paint is a combination of reds, yellows and blacks and is a bit distressed.



🎶On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves🐢🕊️🎶This Ganj painting of two birds perched on a...
14/12/2024

🎶On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves🐢🕊️🎶

This Ganj painting of two birds perched on a branch with a flower are specific to Ganj village, Orchha. Created on thick handmade paper, the ground or base is prepared using a base of dal, fenugreek, chalk and gum Arabic. The brown is a mud paste (prepared like plaster paste) which is applied and allowed to dry. The design is then made by scratching through the mud. The technique would have originally been a way to decorate the walls of houses.



Image description: This painting has a cream background and brown figures with details scratched out which are then cream in colour. It shows two birds perched on a branch next to a flower. There are leaves coming off the branch. The border is patterned with leaf-life repeat motifs.



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Address

The South Asia Collection, 34-36 Bethel Street
Norwich
NR21NR

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+441603663890

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