ASIA SOCIETY SHOWCASES MASTERWORKS OF BUDDHIST ART

THE WORLD OF BUDDHISM: SELECTIONS FROM THE ASIA SOCIETY'S MR. AND MRS. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 3rd COLLECTION
MARCH 11 THROUGH AUGUST 24 (revised closing date)

Explore Buddhist Art and the Trade Routes on the Collection in Context web site

Head of a Buddha Thailand, Mon Style, 8th Century

As part of its celebration of Buddhist art and culture this spring, the Asia Society presents The World of Buddhism, an exhibition showcasing masterworks of Buddhist art from its world-renowned permanent collection, The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art. Drawing from the impressive holdings of this acclaimed collection, The World of Buddhism explores the concepts and imagery of one of the world's great religions through some of the most sublimely beautiful and deeply spiritual works of art that it inspired. The exhibition will present works covering a variety of periods and schools within Buddhism-from Theravada and Mahayana to Tantric and Zen Buddhism-from across Asia. A highlight of the exhibition will be a room hung with Buddhist paintings in which visitors will be invited to meditate. (Note: The Meditation Room closes on August 17, 2003).

According to Vishakha N. Desai, Senior Vice President of the Asia Society and Director of the Museum and Cultural Programs, "The World of Buddhism charts the diffusion and evolution of Buddhist concepts and imagery across Asia. By presenting artworks from almost every country where Buddhism exercised influence, the exhibition offers audiences a glimpse into the rich diversity of Buddhist art. The Asia Society is also pleased to participate in the citywide Buddhism Project that will highlight the social and cultural significance of this great religion and its relevance to our times."

The Exhibition
From its origins in northern India in the 6th century BCE Buddhism spread to become a pan-Asian religion. Beginning as an austere philosophy in which the historical Buddha was represented only by symbols, Buddhism developed into a complex religion with a large pantheon of Buddhas, bodhisattvas (enlightened beings), and other attendant deities that became the visual focus of worship and meditation. As the Buddhist cannon developed, specific iconographic representations of these deities emerged. While these were faithfully adhered to, a rich variety of divergent and interrelated stylistic and regional types emerged; this is illustrated in the more than 50 masterpieces displayed in the exhibition. Through its themes and groupings of objects, the exhibition traces the transformation and development of the Buddhist philosophy and its attendant imagery over the course of centuries. The celebrated masterpieces included in the exhibition not only offer visual delight but are also meant to inspire devotion through their arresting beauty and perfection of form.

The earliest representations of the Buddha in human form are generally attributed to the Kushan period in northern India, from the 1st - 3rd century. The distinctly Western, orientation of a Gandharan Buddha from the 2nd - 3rd century-with its muscled physique, treatment of garments in thick, heavy folds and deeply carved face with wavy coiffure-is contrasted with a later, Gupta-period Buddha also from northern India, dating to the 5th century. The slender form and clinging robes of the latter emphasizing the graceful proportions of the figure are closer to the idealized ethos of Indic sculpture. Despite differences in style, all Buddha images may be easily identified on the basis of certain common characteristics-elongated earlobes, ascetic garb, a small circular mark on the forehead (urna) and a cranial protuberance (ushnisha).

As Buddhism spread from India to Southeast Asia, there was an accompanying transmittal of artistic influences. This is illustrated by two standing Buddha figures-a 6th century Gupta piece from India and a 7th - 8th century Mon sculpture from Thailand. Both figures share certain common features-thin, transparent robes emphasizing the perfection of form, frontal pose, introspective expression and arrangement of hair in tight snail-shell-curls. However, the Mon sculpture may be distinguished by its squarish face, broad lips and prominent joined eyebrows.

In due course, the depiction of actual scenes from the Buddha's life became popular and this trend is exemplified by an exquisitely carved and gilded pyrophyllite stele from Myanmar, dating to the 10th -11th century. The central image shows the Buddha seated on a lotus pedestal displaying the Bhumisparshamudra (earth touching gesture), signifying the moments just prior to his enlightenment when he defeated the forces of illusion and called upon the earth to bear witness. Surrounding this are subsidiary figures representing the most significant moments in the Buddha's life before and after his enlightenment.

The most popular deities after Buddhas were Bodhisattvas or enlightened beings who remain on earth to help others achieve enlightenment, and a variety of types may be seen in the exhibition. One of the most celebrated pieces in the Rockefeller Collection is the 8th century Bodhisattva Maitreya from the region of Prakon Chai in northeastern Thailand. This object belongs to a group of sculptures whose discovery is regarded as one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in Southeast Asia in the last century. The Rockefeller piece is among the finest in the group and is noteworthy for its sinuous grace and extreme beauty of form. Another outstanding piece is the 13th century Jizo Bosatsu or Bodhisattva Kshitigarbha from Japan, who is venerated as the protector of women, children and travelers. Carved from cypress wood and embossed with intricate gold leaf designs, the sculpture is remarkable for its realistic rendering of the Bodhisattva's garments, form and features.

Meditation Room. Open March 11 - August 17, 2003
A room devoted to the display of Buddhist paintings will also serve as the venue for classes in Buddhist meditations that will be conducted during the course of the exhibition. These paintings were hung in temples, halls of worship and meditation and served as a stimulus and focus for concentration. A large 14th - century Tibetan painting of the female divinity Syama Tara (Green Tara) who is revered as a savioress, is notable for its structured composition and rich, abundant detailing of the garments and accoutrements of the central deity and adjoining figures. Another piece remarkable for its vivid and bold coloring is a 14th century Japanese scroll representing Dainichi Nyoraior the Buddha of Infinite Light, shown here with an elaborate halo representing mystical emanations. These works offer a sharp contrast to a delicately colored 15th - century scroll, also from Japan, depicting Byakue Kannon (White-robed Kannon) the Bodhisattva of Compassion, shown seated on a rocky outcrop with turbulent waters at his feet. The image is distinguished by a sensuous treatment of form balanced by the figure's serene countenance.

The World of Buddhism is curated by Colin Mackenzie, Curator and Associate Director, Asia Society, and independent curator and scholar Kathryn Selig Brown. The exhibition is made possible with generous support from the Lee Foundation of Singapore.

The Asia Society will host a comprehensive schedule of public programs in conjunction with the exhibition, focusing attention on the artistic and cultural significance of Buddhism and its resonance in contemporary life. Highlights include the following programs:

Where Parallels Meet: Practice and Art in Buddhism, Tuesday, February 11, 6:30 p.m.
A panel discussion examining the connection between artistic and spiritual practices. Can the creative process be linked to aspects of spiritual practice-such as meditation, the activation of consciousness or compassion? How do artists who are practicing Buddhists, transform meaning from Buddhist thought through their work? These and other questions are raised in a discussion between visual and performing artists, writers and scholars. Speakers include performer Meredith Monk, author Anne Waldman and Linda Bamber, professor at Tufts University among others. Moderated by Robyn Brentano. Cosponsored by The Buddhism Project: Art, Buddhism and Contemporary Culture

New Insights on Old Friends: Buddhist Art from the Mr. And Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, Tuesday, March 11, 6:30 p.m.
A lecture by Kathryn Selig Brown, co-curator of The World of Buddhism, who will talk about the main themes of Buddhism and Buddhist iconography, and offer new observations on objects in the exhibition.

A Buddhist Approach to Overcoming Social Ills, Thursday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.
A lecture on the contemporary spiritual and social aspects of Buddhism by Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand's most prominent lay Buddhist social activist and author. Sivaraksa inaugurates a three-part series on Socially Engaged Buddhism by focusing on an approach to spiritual development, changing society and overcoming social ills through non-violent means.

Meditations in the Galleries, Wednesday, March 26, April 30, May 14 and June 11, 6:30 p.m.
A series of classes introducing the various traditions of Buddhist meditation and practice-Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. These will take place in the specially designed Meditation Room of the exhibition.

In addition to these programs, the Asia Society will also present a showcase of Burmese Performing Arts in April 2003. This will be an exclusive ten-day residency in New York featuring nine musicians and three dancers from Burma. The program will include performances, workshops and discussions on art forms and the current situation of the arts in Burma. Performances will include both indoor (harp, slide guitar, sandeya) and outdoor music such as the hsain wain ensemble, which combines tuned drums, gongs and oboe performed with complimentary vocals and dance.

Tickets to all of the above programs may be purchased at the Asia Society Box Office at (212) 327-9276

Other Exhibitions

Also on view at the Asia Society will be Montien Boonma: Temple of the Mind (February 4 through May 11, 2003), a retrospective of the work of Montien Boonma, Thailand's leading contemporary artist whose life and art was rooted in his deep faith in Buddhism. While Boonma's mixed media works and installations are far removed from the traditional Buddhist art of the Rockefeller Collection, both draw inspiration from the same source. Both exhibitions present artworks that seek to convey spiritual luminance, yet each generates this effect in markedly different ways. While the conventional artworks of The World of Buddhism offer viewers a familiarity of form on which the mind can focus readily, Boonma's experimental works define form in an abstract manner and function as contemplative, meditative spaces. Indeed, the two exhibitions offer a striking and provocative contrast to each other. By presenting them jointly, the Asia Society is encouraging visitors to expand their notion of what Buddhism and Buddhist art can include in today's world.

About the Asia Society

The Asia Society is America’s leading institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communication between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific. A nonprofit, nonpartisan educational institution, the Asia Society presents a wide range of programs including major art exhibitions, performances, media programs, international conferences and lectures, and initiatives to improve elementary and secondary education about Asia. The Asia Society is headquartered in New York City, with regional centers in Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Melbourne, Australia, and representative offices in San Francisco, Manila and Shanghai.

Asia Society and Museum
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