Buddhist Art News

Review: Heads Up at the Nasher

Posted in Contemporary Art, United States by buddhistartnews on February 9, 2010

Review: Heads Up at the Nasher
KERA
There are other Buddhist elements in the exhibition: Those huddled, curled-up figures of men (Where Are You? I, II and III) seem to have been inspired by

Tibetan monks bring sacred performing art to St. Scholastica …

Posted in Tibet by buddhistartnews on February 8, 2010

Tibetan monks bring sacred performing art to St. Scholastica
The multiphonic singers of Drepung Loseling Monastery, known for promoting world peace and healing through sacred performing art, will visit The College of St. Scholastica on Feb. 16-19. There will be three on-campus events during their four-day appearance, which is called “The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music, Sacred Art.” Their visit is part of the 2009-2010 Mitchell Performing Arts Series.

During the opening ceremony at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Student Union in Tower Hall, the Tibetan monks will create a sand painting. This cultural experience will start with music performed by the monks as they begin constructing their sacred art of painting with colored sand — one of the most unique and exquisite artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism. (more…)

Filtered Memories exhibit brings past to life through Sun Young …

Posted in Contemporary Art by buddhistartnews on February 7, 2010

Filtered Memories exhibit brings past to life through Sun Young
By Emily Kanter
Another aspect of Kang’s exhibit is her book art, such as, “In Between Presence and Absence.” The book has hand cut pages (Kozo Natural) that are cut out in the shape of a bottle to create the looks of absence and presence. In Buddhism, there are 108 agonies and desires in our human life: six senses, three aspects of time, two characteristics of the heart, and three emotional preferences. This multiplied together equals 108 and is what Kang wanted to represent in her

L@TE: Friday Nights @ BAM/PFA

Posted in Contemporary Art, Music by buddhistartnews on February 6, 2010

L@TE: Friday Nights @ BAM/PFA

Composer Carl Stone, hailed in the Village Voice as “the King of Sampling” and “one of the best composers living in the U.S. today,” performs an evening of brand-new compositions. A resident of Tokyo, Stone has used computers in live performance since 1986. This rare Bay Area appearance will feature the U.S. premiere of Stone’s evening-length multi-channel composition DARDA, first heard in Tokyo in September 2009, and featuring the shomyo vocal chant of Makiko Sakurai. (Shomyo is an ancient form of chant associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, dating from the Heian period, 781–1192 CE). The evening may include an additional premiere. Listeners are invited to bring blankets and pillows and relax in the gallery space.

Ancient Sphere Where Cultures Mingled

Posted in Vietnam by buddhistartnews on February 5, 2010

Librado Romero/The New York Times Left, a wooden Buddha from the Fu Nan period, about the sixth century. Right, a stone carving of Dvarapala, ninth century.

[link]

The New York Times / By HOLLAND COTTER

Published: February 4, 2010

In 1988 the art historian Nancy Tingley, then a curator at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, went to Vietnam to talk with museums about borrowing examples of the country’s ancient art for the first major United States exhibition. It was a bold idea. To most Americans, Vietnam still meant little more than the memory of a nightmare war. And who knew it had a great art tradition, never mind museums that preserved it? (more…)

The Hindu : Life & Style / Travel : Past and present glory

Posted in Uncategorized by buddhistartnews on February 5, 2010

The Hindu : Life & Style / Travel : Past and present glory
Nilesh Shukla

Gujarat is a treasure trove of reamins of Buddhist establishments Gujarat is a treasure trove of reamins of Buddhist establishments

Ancient edicts, monuments and recordings of travellers reveal that Gujarat has been one of the important centres of Buddhism in the country, besides an ancient centre of learning rivalling Nalanda

Gujarat, so far known for Hindu religious places like Somnath and Dwarka, now hopes to attract Buddhist tourists too. The Gujarat government just organised the International Seminar on Buddhist Heritage atVadodara., from January 15 to 17. According to Gujarat Tourism Minister Jay Narayan Vyas, as many as 500 Lamas, 350 academics, including 200 followers, participated. The seminar aimed to highlight the contribution of Buddhism and its philosophy.

Although numerous literary traditions claim that Buddhism reached Saurashtra during the time of the Buddha itself, the earliest archaeological evidence dates from the time of Emperor Asoka (269-232 B.C.). The Girnar rock edicts were engraved to propagate the Dhamma. (more…)

A great work on temple art

Posted in Books, India by buddhistartnews on February 4, 2010

A great work on temple art
Organiser
diverse landscape and the involvement of Buddhist and Jain monastic centres as looking at the temples’ iconography, rituals, the socio-cultural life

Excavation in downtown Singapore yields wartime artefacts …

Posted in Archaeology, Cambodia by buddhistartnews on February 3, 2010

Excavation in downtown Singapore yields wartime artefacts
Andres Eckberg on The largest reclining Buddha in Cambodia now open …. Archaeology remains a relatively underdeveloped discipline in Singapore.

Gujarat, Himachal govts for joint promotion of Buddhism

Posted in India, Travel/Tourism by buddhistartnews on February 3, 2010

Gujarat, Himachal govts for joint promotion of Buddhism
Times of India
Splendid gompas, Buddhist monasteries, built along bare mountain sides. These are the repositories of a wealth of Buddhist art and culture.

Durga from Kashmir

Posted in Books, India by buddhistartnews on February 2, 2010

An 8th century copper alloy image of Durga (Bhadrakali) on a chariot and destroying Mahishasura, from Kashmir

Durga from Kashmir
Calcutta Telegraph
The editor of the book, Pratapaditya Pal, has written an essay on Durga worship in Kashmir long before the arrival of Islam discusses her iconography as