Metropolitan Museum of Art to Exhibit Tibetan Buddhist Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will present Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibetan exhibition that will showcase a wide range of Himalayan Buddhist devotional art. Scheduled to open on September 19, the exhibition will feature more than 100 objects, including paintings, sculptures, textiles, costumes, weapons, musical instruments, and various ritual objects, dating primarily from the XNUMXth to XNUMXth centuries. The exhibition will also include a contemporary installation by Tibetan artist Tenzing Rigdol, commissioned by the museum specifically for this event and which will be on display in the atrium of the museum’s Robert Lehman Wing.

The exhibition received funding from the Placido Arango Fund and the Lilly Endowment, with additional support from the Florence and Herbert Irving Fund for Asian Art Exhibitions and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

Max Hollein, director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, described the exhibition as “an unprecedented exploration of sublime historical Himalayan Buddhist devotional art” that aims to deepen the public’s understanding of how and why these works were created. “At the center of the galleries, Tenzing Rigdol’s powerful and immersive mandalic installation builds on the foundation of the rich historical material to create a space for inspired contemplation,” Hollein added. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The exhibition will examine the various thematic components of Tibetan mandalas, complex diagrams used in the practice of Vajrayana Buddhism, and highlight the specific iconography that helps guide individuals on their spiritual path to enlightenment. The galleries will focus on key aspects of Tibetan artistic production: monastic teachers who interpreted esoteric texts and established lineages; bodhisattvas who assisted practitioners; protectors of Buddhist teachings; and tantric deities who symbolize enlightenment. The final gallery will feature a collection of mandalas, complex diagrams that integrate deities and iconography featured in other galleries. In the context of Tibetan Buddhism, mandalas and associated tantric rituals are believed to offer access to true reality.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is Tenzing Rigdol’s contemporary mandala, which addresses modern issues such as climate change and social responsibility. Of his work, Rigdol explained, “I’m trying to explore the quintessential Tantric idea of ​​universality and unity and how we are all intricately interconnected. It’s said that when the Buddha attained enlightenment, he looked at a leaf and on that leaf he saw stars, he saw rain, he saw earth, he saw air, and in essence, he saw interdependence.” (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet The exhibition will feature exceptional pieces from the Met’s permanent collection and important loans from other institutions, including the Asia Society Museum, the Rubin Museum of Art, the Newark Museum of Art, and the Harvard Art Museums. Notable works on view include two ancient mandalas from Tibet and examples from China and Nepal.

The exhibition will also include exquisite illustrated palm leaf manuscripts. Prajnaparamita et Gandavyuhaas well as important monastic portraits from the 12th-14th centuries, such as those of Atisha and Shakyashribhadra, two Indian monks who helped transmit Buddhist teachings to Tibet. In addition, a pair of portraits of the founders of Taklung Monastery will be loaned, as well as musical instruments, dance costumes used during Buddhist festivals, and weapons and armor preserved in protective monastic shrines.

Kurt Behrendt, associate curator of South Asian art at the Met and curator of the exhibition, emphasized the role of the show in bringing complex Tibetan Buddhist traditions to a wider audience. “The study of the Himalayas, particularly Tibet, has advanced enormously in the last 30 years,” Behrendt said, adding:

While many books and exhibitions on the Himalayas have focused on the technical aspects of the complexity of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, few have succeeded in demystifying these sublime works of art to make their key ideas widely accessible. This exhibition aims to explore how images have been used in the Himalayan context to present the great Tibetan tradition in a meaningful and coherent way. The juxtaposition of a contemporary mandala as an installation should resonate with today’s viewers in a way that helps make the exhibition’s broader ideas relevant.
(The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

In addition to the exhibition, the Met will offer a range of educational activities, including gallery conversations, panels, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for all ages. An illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition, thanks to support from the Florence and Herbert Irving Fund for Asian Art Publications.

Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet The exhibition aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Tibetan Buddhist art and offer new perspectives on its religious, cultural, and artistic significance. The exhibition will open at the Met on September 19 and run through early 2025.

See more

Met exhibition to explore Himalayan Buddhist devotional art throughout history (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

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