New Delhi, April 11 (PTI) A new exhibition featuring around 80 Thangka paintings made by Buddhist artists from Bhutan will pay homage to the 21 avatar of female deity Tara and different facets of Buddhism.
Goddess Tārā, a tantric meditation deity, believed to originate as a form of goddess Durga, is worshipped both in Buddhism and in Shaktism as one of the ten Mahavidyas.
Curated by Arjun Sawhney and Tania Lefebvre in collaboration with master Buddhist artist, Zeiko, “Whispered Wisdom” will be held at Bikaner House from April 14-17.
Thangkas serve as important teaching tools, visually unfolding the life of the Buddha, and other deities and bodhisattvas. The art of Bhutanese Thangkas exemplifies legends, stories and deities from Mahayana Buddhism.
“The canvases exhibited are created under the strict guidelines of Buddhist scriptures as the work encompasses symbolism and allusion, and are explicitly religious. Each Thangka is created with various elements mixed meticulously and involves earthly pigments and minerals such as 24 karat gold and other natural colours,” said the curators in a statement, adding that paintings of these overlapping grids “take many weeks, even months to complete”.
Touted to be an “examination of the intersection of fine art and deep spiritual faith”, the paintings, according to the organisers, serve as a “striking centerpiece” that can be appreciated by all admirers of Asian art.
“‘Whispered Wisdom’ explores the teachings and rituals of a faith followed unwaveringly by a country almost in its entirety, a culture based on the guidance of spiritual learnings, passed down over aeons, exploring the wisdom that has breathed life into an art form,” it added. PTI MG MAH MAH
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