Art
review: Religion, culture, art revealed
in 'Tibet'
Courtesy of Peter Keller
By
Sean Orfila
Daily Forty-Niner
SANTA
ANA --To the Tibetans, religion is a way
of life. Their study of Buddhism permeates
every aspect of their culture, especially
their art. Mindful and meticulous detail
was put into "Tibet: Treasures from
the Roof of the World," now on display
at the Bower's Museum of Cultural Art
in Santa Ana.
The
artists aimed to show their understanding
of the spiritual world, for their sculptures
and paintings functioned as support for
the Buddhist faith. The artifacts they
created inspire others to acquire the
ideal qualities represented in the images
of Buddha and enlightened beings.
Up
until now, most people would have to hike
thousands of miles, something of a spiritual
pilgrimage, to see what the Bower's Museum
has amassed in its halls the exhibit is
a collection of about 200 ritual objects,
paintings, textiles and sculptures from
ancient Tibet.
"It's
the first time most of this stuff is out
of Tibet," said Rick Weinber, the
museum's director of marketing. He also
said most of the artifacts were from the
1,000-room Potala Palace, which was built
in the 1600s by the fifth Dalai Lama.
The
collection was a collaborative effort
of museum director Peter Keller, museum
board member Anne Shih and the Tibetan
and Chinese Governments, Weinberg said.
The
oldest artifact in the collection, a copper
sculpture of the Buddha Shakyamuni, is
about 1,400 years old.
In
addition to the art, from now through
Nov. 1, monks will be visiting the museum
to conduct a 14-day process of sand painting
which began Saturday. The Tibetan sand
mandala is famous around the world for
its intricacy, beauty and symbolism. The
monks use colored sand, placed grain-by-grain
to create an intricate traditional design.
The
mandala being created at the museum is
the "Avalokiteshvara," or "Compassion
Buddha," the Tibetan Buddhist deity
that is said to be able to see all misery
and alleviate all pain, having limitless
compassion for all living beings. The
Dalai Lama is believed to be a physical
manifestation of the Avalokiteshvara.
In
the process of sand painting, the monks
begin by making a grid and outlines with
chalk on a string. All mandalas have a
square shape with an entrance on each
side and a major deity in the center.
The amount of effort that is put into
creating the mandala is also symbolic
of Buddhist practice.
Upon
completion, the mandala is dispersed in
a body of water such as a river or the
ocean. The immersion is said to represent
the impermanence of one's life.
Event
Listing
What:
"Tibet ? Treasures From the Roof
of the World"
When: Now until May 16, 2004.
Where: The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art
2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA
Information: (714) 567-3642
