November 4 - 8, 2024
From the Crow Museum of Asian Art:
“Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery will visit the Crow Museum of Asian Art where they will construct a magnificent mandala sand painting of Akshobhya – The Unshakable Victor – depicting conflict resolution and peace. The week-long artist residency begins Monday (Nov. 4) at noon and continues through the week with the ritualist closing ceremonies slated for Friday (Nov. 8) at noon. A lecture is also planned for Monday (Nov. 4) at 6 p.m. titled “The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Why Do We Need Each Other?” All events are free and open to the public with the residency being held at the Crow Museum’s second location on the campus of The University of Texas at Dallas (800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080).
Throughout the week, the public is invited to come watch as millions of grains of crushed marble are painstakingly laid into place in this ancient spiritual art form that generates energy for global healing. Guests will also get the opportunity to use a chak-pur, the traditional hand tool for producing sand mandalas, to contribute to a community sand painting uniquely designed for the UT Dallas campus and surrounding community.
“For the first time in five year, the beloved Tibetan monks are returning to the Crow Museum, and our hope is that their beautiful, symbolic ceremony and presentation will provide a meditative reprieve for us all during this busy time in our lives,” said Amy Lewis Hofland, senior director of the Crow Museum of Asian Art. “We’re especially excited that the UT Dallas students on campus will get a chance to be a part of this meaningful experience.”
The monks will be working on the mandala at the following times: Monday noon-5 p.m. (includes opening ceremonies), Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday through the noon closing ceremonies.
From all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, that of painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite. Millions of grains of sand are placed on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks to form the image of a mandala. To date, the monks have created mandala sand paintings in more than 100 museums, art centers, and colleges and universities in the U.S. and Europe.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning sacred cosmogram. These cosmograms can be created in various media, such as watercolor on canvas, wood carvings, and so forth. However, the most spectacular and enduringly popular are those made from colored sand.
In general all mandalas have outer, inner and secret meanings. On the outer level, they represent the world in its divine form; on the inner level, they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into enlightened mind; and on the secret level they depict the primordially perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and the clear light dimension of the mind. The creation of a sand painting is said to effect purification and healing on these three levels.
The mandala sand painting begins with an opening ceremony on Monday (Nov. 4) at noon, during which the lamas consecrate the site and call forth the forces of goodness. This is done by means of chanting, music and mantra recitation.
The lamas begin the exhibit by drawing an outline of the mandala on the wooden platform. On the following days, they lay the colored sands. Each monk holds a traditional metal funnel called a chak-pur while running a metal rod on its grated surface. The vibration causes the sands to flow like liquid onto the platform.
Traditionally most sand mandalas are destroyed shortly after their completion. This is done as a metaphor for the impermanence of life. The sands are swept up and placed in an urn; to fulfill the function of healing – half is distributed to the audience at the closing ceremony, while the remainder is carried to a nearby body of water, where it is deposited. The waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean, and from there it spreads throughout the world for planetary healing. The closing ceremony will be held on Friday (Nov. 4) at noon.”
Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum
77 Loop Road SW
Richardson, 75080 Texas
Get directions