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.

Wedged between India and China, Bhutan is one of the most remote places on earth. “Because Bhutan is unique among its Himalayan neighbors for never having been conquered, invaded, or colonized, its treasures have resided, largely intact, in the monastic settings for which they were created,” says Martin Brauen, the new Chief Curator of RMA. “This exhibition is therefore a rare opportunity to explore an entire ethos untouched by the modern world.” Ramon Prats, Senior Curator of RMA, who is responsible for the New York presentation, said, “RMA is especially pleased to provide a showcase on the East Coast for these rare objects, which are as valued for their function within a living spiritual tradition as for their considerable visual beauty.”

The Dragon’s Gift comprises 87 works of art, including intricate paintings and images created using appliqué and embroidery framed in brocade, called thangkas; gilt bronze and wooden sculptures; and ritual objects ranging in date from the 8th to the 20th century, with especially strong examples from the 17th through the 19th century. Because most of the works of art come from active temples, where they still serve as consecrated objects, Buddhist monks will remain in residence at RMA during the period of the exhibition, performing the necessary ritual observances.