Creation of a Sand Mandala

What is a Sand Mandala?

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The mandala, one of Himalayan Buddhism's most ubiquitous symbols, is created as an artistic aid for meditation. Depicting a realm that is both complex and sacred, the mandala is a visualization tool meant to advance practitioners toward a state of enlightenment.

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Rubin Museum of Art
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The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) is home to a comprehensive collection of art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions. The artistic heritage of this vast and culturally varied area of the world remains relatively obscure. Through changing exhibitions and an array of engaging public programs, RMA offers opportunities to explore the artistic legacy of the Himalayan region and to appreciate its place in the context of world cultures.

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What is a Sand Mandala?
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The mandala, one of Himalayan Buddhism's most ubiquitous symbols, is created as an artistic aid for meditation. Depicting a realm that is both complex and sacred, the mandala is a visualization tool meant to advance practitioners toward a state of enlightenment.

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Destroying the Sand Mandala
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The destruction of the Sand Mandala is consistent with the Buddhist view that the world is impermanent and constantly in transition.

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The Dragon's Gift - The Sacred Arts of Bhutan
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The Dragon’s Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan opened on Friday, September 19, 2008, and remained on view through January 5, 2009. The occasion is the opening of the first comprehensive exhibition of Bhutanese sacred art in the continental United States at the Rubin Museum of Art (RMA), the foremost museum in the West for the study and display of the art of the Himalayas and surrounding regions.

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Lama Karma Tenzin created a sand mandala in the theater gallery of the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. The mandala took over two weeks to create out of millions of grains of crushed marble and under two minutes to destroy. Lama Karma visited the Rubin Museum of Art in conjunction with The Dragon's Gift - The Sacred Arts of Bhutan exhibition.

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What took over two weeks to complete in New York City only took merely seconds to destroy. This ocncept is extremely hard to grasp. Hw can something done with so much heart and effort be destroyed in the blink of an eye? I believe that the meaning behind this work of art goes beyond the fanciful colors and brilliant patterns. In fact, I think that this Sand Mandala created by Mr. Tenzin is being used as a teachin model. A teaching model to the affect that all things that have come and settled with so much welcoming will eventually be replaced with something new. Something that is more advanced and perhaps a blessing to the society. The main symbolism of this piece is to relay the message that all things of the present will soon fade and not easily, but eventually welcoming new and better things to come.

I have family currently living in the southwest and I've seen dozen of
Hopi & Navajo sandpaintings. I am STILL amazed at the level of patience and craftsmanship it takes to do this type of ARTwork.

Although the art was beautiful, it was destroyed within seconds. Many ask why someone would create a piece that takes two weeks just to destroy it. However, we cannot judge this piece from western standards. I believe that it shows the cycle of life. It takes years for people to grow, develop, and learn, even to fully live life, and it only takes an instant to die and for it all to be gone. Overall, after it is all said and done, all things will pass away and new things will take the place of things passed.

The manner of creating and "taking down" floor art of India is also similar, be it Rangoli or Kolam.

Enjoyed the video, thanks.

The concept is similar to the floor "drawings", as designs in that adorn front porches in traditional India in the form of "Kolams" in Southern India and "Rangoli", a popular colorful rendering in color.

Chitra Ramanathan, artist-painter, art educator

Website: http://www.chitraramanathan.com

Hi. I like your blog. well done!

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