An epic 2,500km journey along India's sacred Ganges river

In its only UK presentation, Ganga 21 is a series of oil paintings by acclaimed Australian artist Kevin Pearsh, capturing his experiences in travelling the Ganges from its source, deep in the Himalayas, to its end at the Bay of Bengal. Together, the 21 canvases capture both the diversity of this great landscape but also the profound religious significance of the river, considered to be the mother of Hinduism.

Pearsh conceived of the idea to travel the entire length of the Ganges in 2006, beginning in the spring of that year in a remote ice cave at Gaumukh, high in the snow-capped mountains. From there he hiked to Gangotri, resuming the journey in October by boat and road to reach Varanasi. A third mission in 2007 saw him reach the Ganges Delta, where the vast river pours into the Indian Ocean. Pearsh made daily watercolour sketches – using water from the Ganges – and photographed over 2,000 scenes before choosing the final 21 from which to develop his canvases.

Entry is free. Runs until 18 November 2013 at Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham B3 3DH.