There are subtle slits on the surface of the deity’s palms and the soles of her feet these features are meant to be four eyes representing Buddhism’s four immeasurables, or sublime states: compassion, lovingkindness, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Related: Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Who Is Tara? The manifestation of transcendent wisdom, longevity, and the maternal aspect of compassion, White Tara aids devotees in overcoming dangers and difficulties along the spiritual path. In the first piece, resting in the middle of 1,000 mirror-like images-each of which, says Lama, was hand-drawn with a paintbrush made of three animal hairs-is the female bodhisattva White Tara, one of the 21 emanations of Tara, the feminine counterpart of Avalokiteshvara. 1000 White Taras by Karsang Lama | Courtesy of the Dharmapala Thangka Center Painted in 24k gold against black backgrounds conveying the darkness of ignorance, these transfixing portraits amplify the gallery’s overall atmosphere as a space in which the line between worlds, the mundane and the mystical, feels thinner. Neighboring this work are two other goddesses, Green and White Tara. Perched on banks of clouds around her are the main gurus, mahasiddhas, and lineage teachers of Chöd. She is playing two ritual instruments used in chöd ceremonies, a double-sided drum and a vajra-handled bell, intended to slash through ignorance, attachment, and aggression.
Machig Labdrön Tree by Karsang Lama | Courtesy of Dharmapala Thangka Centreĭepicted here as a dakini, or female embodiment of wisdom, adorned with bone ornaments and precious jewels, Machig dances radiantly atop an opaque moon disc. Set in a silk brocade, it is an impressive homage to the 11th-century Tibetan yogini, an able teacher recognized for her high spiritual achievement and founder of the Chöd lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, which to this day remains one of the most efficacious and popular tantric methods used to cut through ego and delusion. Standing nearly six feet tall, by far the largest work in the collection is Lama’s rendering of Machig Labdrön, which took him three years to complete. Among the 35 female buddhas said to have attained realization in one lifetime, Lama singles out a few notables in his New York City showcase.
This exhibit is part of a wider conversation around shifting focus away from male-dominated imagery and emphasizing important female figures in Tibetan Buddhism, prompting us to reconsider whose narratives are worthy of artistic treatment. Lama, whose thangkas have been displayed in monasteries and museums across Asia, the United States, Europe, and Australia, is well aware that art can have a profound impact on how stories of awakened beings are preserved, shared, and understood by modern practitioners.
The divine feminine painting free#
I want to shine a light on the female buddhas that have worked to free all beings from suffering.” You have the historical Shakyamuni Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and countless other male figureheads. The extensive collection, which opened this March, celebrates the significant roles that female buddhas, bodhisattvas, yidams, and dharma protectors have played in the tradition’s history, theology, and ritual practices.Īt the opening reception, Lama made his mission clear: “Everyone thinks of Buddhism as male-oriented. A third-generation painter, Lama has devoted his life to studying tantric Buddhist texts and painting maps of enlightenment.
The divine feminine painting series#
Divine Feminine: New Masterpieces from Nepal, on view through May 11, 2018, is a series of 50 new works from master Nepalese artist Karsang Lama. But while the classic stories of enlightenment are filled with male protagonists and buddhas, enlightened women are not given nearly the same play, leaving female practitioners with few heroines to emulate.Ī new exhibition at Tibet House US in Manhattan seeks to even the odds. In Vajrayana Buddhism, one of the quickest ways to become a buddha is to imagine yourself as one.
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