Buddhism-Inspired art show

The Rubin Museum of Art based in New York is a nonprofit cultural institution solely dedicated to the art of the Himalayas. The mission of RMA, as the site states, is to showcase, preserve and document a comprehensive collection that will reflect the complexity, vitality as well as historical significance of Himalayan art. It creates exhibitions and hosts programs that are designed to explore connections with other established world cultures.

In keeping with its aim, the new show ‘Grain of Emptiness’ features five contemporary artists whose works are inspired by Buddhism. Sanford Biggers, Theaster Gates, Atta Kim, Wolfgang Laib, and Charmion von Wiegand are all influenced by the Buddhist notions of emptiness and impermanence and Buddhist ritual practice. An essay in the New York Times regarding the exhibition explains:

“The Buddhist influence on art of the past 50 years is, like much else in the Buddhist worldview, immeasurable. Buddhism-Inspired Contemporary Art at the Rubin Museum, wisely doesn’t attempt such a survey. Instead it offers up an eclectic, not-the-usual-suspects group of five artists. None of them incidentally consider themselves hardcore Buddhists, but they all tend to lean heavily on the religion’s symbols, tenets and rituals. As implied by the show’s puzzler of a title, the concept of emptiness, or 'shunyata' in Sanskrit, is particularly important to them.

An accompanying note to the show elaborates: “The participating artists are from disparate backgrounds and explore a range of artistic mediums, but all have inherited the practice of incorporating Eastern religious beliefs into their works. The exhibition's paintings, photographs, videos, and installations will be complemented by performance art.”

Martin Brauen, chief curator of the museum, has organized the show. He further adds in a catalog essay that ‘fullness of form, as manifested for example in a mandala, is emptiness, and emptiness is this fullness of form.’