Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean

Vishnu’s Cosmic Ocean presents a monumental Cambodian bronze depicting the Hindu god Vishnu resting on the serpent Ananta, or “Endless One,” as he dreams the universe into existence above the primordial ocean. On loan from the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the sculpture is the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia and is displayed at its full scale—about six meters, or nearly twenty feet, long.

The exhibition also examines the work’s original setting at an island-like temple near Angkor, the surrounding reservoir, the ancient city’s relationship with water, and the sophisticated casting and engineering techniques of 11th-century Cambodian artists. A newly reunited and conserved sculpture is shown after decades in which only its head and torso were exhibited. The exhibition includes *Awkun*, a short film by Cambodian American director praCh Ly that connects the temple and reservoir to present-day community life.

When: March 7–September 7, 2026

Venue: National Museum of Asian Art, East Building, Gallery 22

Collection Area: Southeast Asian Art

Featured Artwork: *Vishnu Reclining on the Serpent Ananta (Endless One)*, Cambodia, Siem Reap province, second half of the 11th century; bronze with mercury gilding. The work belongs to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

Exhibition Focus: The presentation explores Vishnu’s creation myth, the sculpture’s original temple context, Angkor and its ancient city, the cultural significance of water, and the exceptional bronze-casting and engineering abilities of Cambodian artists a thousand years ago.

Conservation: The sculpture was discovered in 1936 buried in a pit with dozens of loose bronze fragments. International specialists recently conserved the fragments and reconnected the body after decades of research, allowing the work to be experienced at its complete monumental scale for the first time in centuries.

Film: *Awkun*, meaning “thank you” in Khmer, by Cambodian American director praCh Ly. The film follows a fisherman, a merchant, and a young Buddhist monk through a day around the present-day reservoir and its neighboring community, emphasizing connections between sacred places and urban life across time.

Film Content: The accompanying descriptive transcript depicts a fisherman traveling by canoe at sunrise, the reservoir and surrounding farmland and settlements, a market merchant preparing fish and meat, and Buddhist monks walking through the community to receive offerings. It also shows the reservoir, shoreline, marshes, local roads, markets, temple surroundings, and everyday work near the water.

Accessibility: Exhibition wall and case text is available online in a format that can be resized or used with a screen reader. A descriptive transcript is also provided for *Awkun*.

Tickets: Price not available