Assignment 5: Rubin Museum Visit
Title: Ego Free Art
Student: Enid Farber
Mentor: Raul Manzano
Date: November 1st, 2008
The abandonment of the ego is at essence of Buddhism. And at the core of the artist, with very few exceptions, is the ego that needs constant nourishment. After visiting the Rubin Museum of Art and learning more about the artistic process behind the very detailed artworks, I was enchanted by the anonymity of the artist but I was also bewildered. The apparent discipline that this art exudes and the sense of surrender to the communal effort and the spiritual goal is remarkable.
Within the paintings of the Himalayas lies the vocabulary of its artisans, as this was a culture of the illiterate and it was through the beauty of their symbols that they communicated. The paintings are rife with meaning and gestures and one must learn about those in order to render an interpretation with authority. This must be explored beyond a one hour tour but based on the tour guide’s effort, I will attempt to convey some of these ideas.
Spiritual enlightenment is the attainable goal of Buddhism, and the deity is the main theme of Himalayan art. According to the history of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, otherwise known as Avalokiteshvara, who has 11 faces and is surrounded by a thousand hands with eyes, he made a promise that if he succumbed to narcissistic thoughts and anything that was for the benefit of self, that his head would break into 10 pieces and his body would shatter into 1000. Eventually he lost his altruistic bearings and this did happen, signifying a loss of control and discipline. When reconstructed, this deity was portrayed with 10 faces, each one symbolizing the 10 perfections (Mandala of Avalokiteshvara).
According to the Theravada Buddhism Portal the definition of the “Ten Perfections” are as follows: Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Truthfulness, Determination, Loving-kindness and Equanimity (Thittila).
What is most fascinating in my opinion is the role of the individual artist in Himalayan based art, as it sharply contrasts that of western artists. The artists were considered no more or no less gifted then an artisan who made curtains, according to the Rubin Museum tour guide, Chantal Lee. They were at best, very talented draftsmen, similar to those that work for architects, i.e. rendering someone else’s concept, in their case, the directive of their religion, Buddhism. But unlike artists in the Western hemisphere such as Jeff Koons, they were not concerned with accolades, attention, appreciation, or acknowledgment. They were rewarded with knowing that their work was a step to spiritual enlightenment and surely, the Ten Perfections.
To illustrate the conspicuous difference between a western ego driven artist such as Koons and the eastern craftsmen of Himalayan art, where all artists are anonymous and equal, one only needs to visit www.jeffkoons.com. Nowhere on the world-renowned artists’ website is there any mention of the apprentices whom are the actual executioners of his objects d’art. In fact, it is common knowledge in the art world that Jeff Koons is the mastermind behind the art yet he does not lift a finger. Being the conceptualist is no small feat, however the fact that there is not a mere mention of the other artists participants, highlights how his ego is a guiding force in his life and work. I am not suggesting that it is a bad thing as I cannot imagine a life of working without recognition, it just does not jibe with our cultural attitudes, even if any given artist or worker professes to be a spiritual person. Perhaps this comparison is too stark since Koons’ exaggerated commercial sensibilities and pop iconic art is 360 degrees from spiritual sacred art that is rife with lessons of humility and riddles of compassionate wisdom (Koons).
Therefore if one were to research “Himalyan artists” in the de facto 21st century online library Google, their results would come up short. But if one goggled “Himalyan art” then there would be a plethora of information and resources. That is an important revelation as we can ascertain very clearly that the ego is exempt from Himalayan art and their culture is quite different than ours as it is based more on surrendering ones self to religious traditions as opposed to the west emphasis on individual achievement.
One artist that I did find, Tenzin Nurbu Lama whose origins are a small village in Western Nepal, Dolpo, credits his family for inspiring his artistic tradition of thangka painting. “Through five generations my family has taken care of and resided in Dralung Monastery – the main monastery in Bantsang and one of the oldest in the region. In this period of time, my family has passed along the traditional style of art known as ‘thangka painting’”. Lama, a contemporary artist, seems to enjoy the attention of the art world but he comes across as modest and unassuming. “…My art has been featured in photography books and I have had the opportunity to travel to France. In 1994, I got the chance to exhibit my paintings with sponsorship through the National Geographic Society. In 1998 my work was featured in ‘Himalaya’, a film about Dolpo, directed by Eric Valli. I have contributed drawings to a number of books and several movies including a children’s book based on the movie. ‘Himalaya’. In 2001, at the invitation of two friends…I was invited to America to teach thangka painting for two months at Cornell University…in New York. …My future aim and hope is to help towards the development of Dolpo and its people while also preserving our cultural heritage and traditional styles of art.” In the long history of Lama’s family I suspect that he is the only artist to enjoy the recognition of the prestigious art world (Himalayan Artists).
In summary, I do not want to stand in judgment of which artistic tradition is more admirable, that of the sacred arts artist who paints and sculpts in the service of spiritual enlightenment or the artist who is motivated as much by ego as other factors such as a higher purpose and yet who contributes and often sacrifices a life of material enrichment so he can fulfill his destiny as artist, all the while hoping for fame and monetary reward. But admittedly as one of those western artists whose ego suffers when there is no recognition for my good works, I have great respect for a tradition of art that is solely created to communicate the goal of spiritual enlightenment and to show mere mortals the path to achieving it.
Citations:
“Mandala of Avalokiteshvara.” Himalayan Art Resources. 1997. 8 Nov. 2008 <http://www.himalayanart.org/image.cfm/16.html>.
Thittila, Sayadaw U. “Ten Perfections.” Theravada Buddhism Portal. 8 Nov. 2008 <http://www.theravada.gr/tenperfections.html>.
“Biography.” Jeff Koons. 8 Nov. 2008 <http://www.jeffkoons.com/site/index.html>.
“Himalayan Artists.” Quest Himalaya Adventures. 26 Aug. 2008. 8 Nov. 2008 <http://www.questhimalaya.com/himalayanartists/tenzin-nurbu-lama.htm>.
Lee, Chantal. “Rubin Museum Art Tour.” Rubin Museum of Art, New York. 1 Nov. 2008.
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