Subforum Buddhist Art

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Ayu
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Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Ayu »

Niina wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:15 pm (It would be great to have own place to discuss about Buddhist Art related topics)
In my estimation that subforum wouldn't become big enough., because Buddhist art is nearly never reduced to art.
I think, you can find and post interesting related topics in the subforums Shrine Room, Media and Book Reviews.
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Re: tibetan art books

Post by Vasana »

Ayu wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:26 pm
Niina wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:15 pm (It would be great to have own place to discuss about Buddhist Art related topics)
In my estimation that subforum wouldn't become big enough., because Buddhist art is nearly never reduced to art.
I think, you can find and post interesting related topics in the subforum Shrine Room, Media and Book Reviews.
I think it's a really good idea and would welcome it. We have a forum for academic discussion and meta topics like death and dying so I can't see why Art would be any less popular. Art is one of the 5 knowledges [Pañcavidyā ] after all.
The five sciences are: science of language (śabda vidyā), science of logic (hetu vidyā), science of medicine (cikitsā vidyā), science of fine arts and crafts (śilpa-karma-sthāna vidyā), and science of spirituality (adhyātma vidyā).
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avatamsaka3
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by avatamsaka3 »

I'd definitely welcome it.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Niina »

I´m glad to share my interests to art with others :heart: And it seems, that even some aren´t interested about art specific, they can share their knowledge related to the (Buddhist and/or cultural) context or literature etc.
Now in Dharma Wheel here are art related topics here and there, and they are quite hard to find.

I´d suggest, that here could be own topics related art of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. And also contemporary Buddhist art (like I guess most would know some of the versions of Nam June Paik´s Video Buddha etc). And symbolism, what could also consider not-anthropomorphic state of earliest Buddhist art.
Like I wrote in my introduction, to me art helped to see the differences in different sects or general development/change in Buddhism. From symbols depicting Buddha (footprints, empty throne, wheel) to a humble human monk. Then Boddhisattvas came with prosperous outcome. And finally overwhelming iconography of Vajrayana Buddhism. Zen Art is also something on it´s own (calligraphy and stone gardens). And now contemporary Buddhist art.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Vasana »

:good:

Lots of possibilities. Art is as much Dharma as text.

There could be parts of the subforum acting as galleries and repositories of images specific to that tradition/practice/deity/artist. I imagine this would be the bulk of it but alongside other threads looking at the role of art and imagery in more detail.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Norwegian »

I would not welcome it, if it means there would be a myriad entries on Vajrayana's deities, protectors, and so on, all of which should not be for public consumption, but which people treat as collectible radio parts to be analyzed and put on display for everybody anyways (not proper according to Vajrayana). And so I'm afraid that if a Buddhist Art forum is made, something like this would become the norm. These things should be private and for those with the relevant empowerment/transmission.
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Ayu
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Ayu »

Norwegian wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:35 am I would not welcome it, if it means there would be a myriad entries on Vajrayana's deities, protectors, and so on, all of which should not be for public consumption, but which people treat as collectible radio parts to be analyzed and put on display for everybody anyways (not proper according to Vajrayana). And so I'm afraid that if a Buddhist Art forum is made, something like this would become the norm. These things should be private and for those with the relevant empowerment/transmission.
Yes. Experience shows that these kinds of complaints would then come in regularly by different people.

While setting up such a subforum we could prohibit the exposure of restricted material - it's a posting rule already anyhow. It's not always obvious or easy to judge, though.

But another problem could arise additionally: the confusion between real iconography and simple ignorant fine art. This dialogue from the topic "Tibetan Art Books" shows it exemplarily:
justsit wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 3:04 pm
lelopa wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 1:58 pm ...
Romio seems to have no clue about iconography...

and his art is not much tibetan, no?
The OP indicates they are looking for a Tibetan esthetic, they didn't mention correct iconography. Hence, my recommendation. I think they're primarily looking for pretty pictures. :smile:
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=32931#p519776

Just saying. :popcorn:
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Niina »

I´m just reading couple books related to Tibetan Buddhist art. And I admit that iconography is so wide and complicated, I´m not Tibetan Buddhist, I haven´t grown in that culture... So I can just read and wonder what all this is about? But I´ve been also reading about Orthodox Christian icons, wondering what does this mean, why all these rules and iconography? And that is not easy to understand, because I´m not Orthodox Christian and I haven´t grown in that culture. Same goes with Greek pantheon...

Because I study Art History, I have to read also about art of different cultures, times and religions. And I really try to learn to understand. There are so many books about Buddhist Art, what proves that it is possible to write, discuss and make studies about that. Also agree and disagree. There are group of researchers in the world, who do researches related to religions and/or art, and in many cases that´s just their work, there is no need to share that worldview. So it is also possible to deal with these things in quite general level.

And as a contemporary artist I do and I know, that artists can take inspiration and influences also from cultures and religions, what they don´t know too well. And some do art just to be provocative. That´s Art.

I´ve been studying visual arts in 4 different art schools for almost 9 years. In this time I haven´t met any people, who would share my interest to spiritual art (including Buddhist art). That´s why I came to this forum, I thought that here would be some to share my interest. Books are great, but it would be so great to be able to have discussions.

If Vajrayana is too hazard topic, I don´t mind if that is out of discussion. I suggested also that, because I tried to include all, so none tradition would feel like they are left outside. And my guess was that it is interesting to many, because there are so many books about that.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by avatamsaka3 »

It's worth mentioning that there's a ton of beautiful stuff that was not created in the Tibetan tradition. I was looking at Gandharan artifacts recently...
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Queequeg »

I would appreciate the forum. My wife is an art historian specializing in Japanese religious art. I get to tag along on her research and over the years have been exposed to some truly awesome and inspiring stuff.

If people don't want Tibetan Tantric art displayed, that's fine. The Buddhist world extends far beyond that. I find many pieces with no particular restrictions on their display inspiring and edifying and would love to share that interest with others.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by rory »

I would love such a forum. Gandharan art, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean would all be wonderful.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Svalaksana »

I would definitely support this idea.

As someone acquainted and passionate about mostly Western art, I would be delighted to learn about Buddhist art by people willing to share what they have learned, know and think about it. My only book on the subject is a tiny Thames & Hudson paperback on "Buddhist Art and Architecture" by Robert E. Fisher, so I'd be happy to dwell in a space where this knowledge could be discussed and expanded.
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Fortyeightvows
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Fortyeightvows »

For those interested in buddhist art- this is a cool little site- searchable in japanese, but easy to mess around with
http://air-p.jp/index.html
avatamsaka3
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by avatamsaka3 »

So why are we waiting on this? We can set up reasonable limits on posting images of items that are supposed to be restricted in the Tibetan tradition. But keep in mind, the Mahayana world is very large, and there is a huge amount of Buddhist art that has nothing to do with formal Vajrayana practice.
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Re: Subforum Buddhist Art

Post by Ayu »

avatamsaka3 wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 6:17 am So why are we waiting on this? We can set up reasonable limits on posting images of items that are supposed to be restricted in the Tibetan tradition. But keep in mind, the Mahayana world is very large, and there is a huge amount of Buddhist art that has nothing to do with formal Vajrayana practice.
The question is: why do we need an extra subforum again? It is not forbidden to post Buddhist art within the range of our ToS. The member who inspired this idea is a student of art history viewtopic.php?t=32896#p518842
but she participated at DW only very shortly. 14 days.
She needed such a subforum for her studies.

But the other side of this coin is extra work for the moderators: judging "Is this restricted or not restricted?" Not everything in Vajrayana is restricted. Then "Is it art? Is it trash? Is even trash art?" and "Is it fake? Is it genuine? If it is fake, does it hurt?" Not only judging but pm discussions on it can be very time consuming.
I hope, we do not necessarily have to do this.
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