The Faceless Face: The Buddhist Origami of Giang Dinh
Meher McArthur
17 April 2015
Origami has evolved over the last few decades from a Japanese paper craft practiced mostly by children into an international pastime and a sophisticated form
Zen and the Art of Tea Drinking—an Exhibition at the Freer
Meher McArthur
18 February 2015
There is a painting in the Freer Gallery of Art’s current exhibition, Zen, Tea, and Chinese Art in Medieval Japan, that beautifully symbolizes the remarkable cultural
The Art of Salvation: The “Descent of Amitabha” Motif in Pure Land Art
Raymond Lam
13 February 2015
“Return to Amida, Return to Amida, So even dewdrops fall,” wrote the Soto Zen hermit Ryokan (1756–1831) famously, and throughout his life he exhorted those
Zhang Huan: Sculpting a Name in Art
Naushin Ahmed
30 January 2015
Whether it is his unconventional performance art, his photography, or his sculpture, Chinese artist Zhang Huan’s remarkable repertoire is rebellious, eccentric, controversial—and spiritual, particularly in
Mudra: Understanding the Buddha’s Hands
Meher McArthur
23 January 2015
The hand gestures, or mudra, assumed by figures of the Buddha and other deities are some of the most fascinating aspects of Buddhist iconography. Similar
Expressing the Pure Land through Art and Architecture—Chi Lin Nunnery
Raymond Lam
16 January 2015
Four years ago, one of my best friends visited Hong Kong. The first cultural landmark I took him to was Chi Lin Nunnery, which I
Contemplating the Kalpa in the Art of Hirokazu Kosaka
Meher McArthur
14 November 2014
In Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, a kalpa is a very long period of time, a concept akin to the aeon. The term was first used
Searching for Meaning in Tibetan Wrathful Imagery
Tinley Fynn
24 October 2014
Tibetan Vajrayana imagery, for the most part, illustrates fantastical literary texts by reflecting metaphor and symbolism. Notions of aesthetic achievement and the sense of beauty
Medieval Artifacts, Modern Angst: Venerable Dae Bong on Korean Seon
Raymond Lam
17 October 2014
On 18 August, a team of researchers in Seoul thrilled the archeological community when its members unearthed a ceramic pot at the site of Dobong
A General Overview of the Section “Buddhist Art and Architecture” at the IABS 2014
Elsa Lau
17 October 2014
As I am not an art historian, I had some hesitation in attending the talks on “Buddhist Art and Architecture.” However, after reading the abstracts,
Dharma Eye: A Unique Buddhist Photographer Collective
Dharma Eye
19 September 2014
In fall 2007, in the company of Venerable Tsoknyi Rinpoche and a group of his students, photographer Michael Ash made a pilgrimage across Tibet to
The Light of the Lotus Moon: The Art and Wisdom of Otagaki Rengetsu
Meher McArthur
19 September 2014
“Fluttering Merrily” by Otagaki Rengetsu, Japan, 1840s–50s, calligraphy and painting in ink on paper mounted as a hanging scroll; Private Collection, Switzerland