Ever wonder what museum employees talk about around the water cooler? Over the past few years, LACMA curator Bindu Gude and budget manager Arun Mathai have discussed collaborating on an art and dance project. Their goal was to bring together Bindu’s art historical knowledge of South and Southeast Asian art and Arun’s extensive experience performing a classical Indian dance style called Bharatanatyam. 

Last month, a Facebook Live series was born. We kicked off the first of this series with a discussion and a dance performance related to Ganesha, the lord of beginnings and remover of obstacles, in LACMA’s South and Southeast Asian art galleries.

Check out the video below to learn more about Ganesha and see how the gestures in the dance tie to specific iconography in the sculpture. 

Want to be notified when we go live? Follow us on Facebook and turn on Live Video notifications, and tune in on April 5 for the next installment of Bindu and Arun’s art and dance collaboration!