1 Baruch College Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Contents Welcome to Rubin Museum of Art... 3 Why am I here?... 4 About this Guide... 5 Map of Museum... 5 First Floor..7 Second Floor..8 Map of the Himalayan Region... 8 Figures and Symbols... 9 Materials & Techniques...... 12 Shrine Room... 13 Useful Definitions.14 Helpful Resources...15 2 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Welcome to Rubin Museum of Art Congratulations, you are embarking on your first journey to the Rubin Museum of Art! After you have entered the museum, take a moment to absorb the atmosphere as you read this introduction. The Rubin Museum of Art, co-founded in October 2004 by Shelley and Donald Rubin, is thee first museum in the West devotedd entirely to Himalayan art. The Rubins are committed to thee preservation and dissemination of art as a vital tool for education, cultural understanding, and positive social change 1. The Museum has become home to a comprehensivee collectionn of traditional and contemporary art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions. Throughh changing exhibitions and an array of engaging public programs, the Museum offers opportunities to exploree the artistic legacy of the Himalayan region, and to appreciate its place in the context of contemporary world cultures. As a BMCC student, your visits to the museum are always FREE and we encourage you to visit again and again! 1 from Doran, Displaying Benevolence, found in Orientation Binder 3 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Why am I here? As you think about visiting the Rubin Museum of Artt you may find yourself askingg the question, Why should I visit the Rubin Museum? or What does the Rubinn Museum have to do with my life? The answer is it has to do with you becoming a fully empowered human being. To be successful in life you need to learn about who you aree and what you value. You need to develop critical thinking skills, you need to be able too observe, to listen, to be open-minded and be able to see beyond the artificial boundaries people create. Almost all of the great world leaders are aware of who they are and what their purpose inn life is. Professor Stan Altman created the Rubin Museum Project to provide you with ann opportunity to explore who you are by introducing you to the unfamiliar art and culture of the people of the Himalayan Region. The innovative exhibitions at the Rubin Museum will introduce you to cross-cultural Museum Project is designed to provide the means and opportunity for this exploration to take place through arts integration, with the purpose of helping you developp the leadership skills required to be successful in today s evolving business, government, andd nonprofit sectors. It is also designed to help you become a successful and whole humann being in your own estimation, which may well be the most important gift of your educational experience. We strongly believe that this exciting and potentially rewarding program presents an unparalleled opportunity that you should not miss your future and the future of the planet will be affected by the choices you and your generation make. We invite you too expand the breadth of your worldly knowledge by keeping your eyes, ears, and minds openn during your visit to the Rubin Museum. The Rubin Museum Project is supported through the generosity and vision of the Shelley andd Donald Rubin Foundation. themes that explore ideas and issues of one s place in thee world. The Rubin 4 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
About this Guideboo k 2 This guidebook is designed to introduce you to the Rubin Museum of Art. We hope that this document provides an introduction to the museum and acts as a private tour guide to easee your journey through the museumm so that you can explore the galleries at your own pace. We have posed open ended questions throughout the guide to encourage you to reflect on your museumm experience. Thesee questions will serve as a catalyst for self exploration and provide a basis for group discussion for when you return to BMCC. Before you enter the galleries, explore your thoughts on the following: What are you looking forward to about your visit to the museum? What questions do you have about your visit? 2 This Guidebook was prepared by Ms. Lindsey Gonzalez, Communications Director of Altman Collaborative Projects, as part of the Rubin Museum Project. 5 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Map of Museum 6 Baruch College Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
First Floor Spiral Staircase Stand at the base of the spiral case and look up. How does the upward movement of the spiral feel too you? Does the staircase remind you of any other structure in NYC or elsewhere? Describe your first impression of RMA in one word: 7 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Second Floor G Gateway to Himalayan Art Gateway to Himalayan Art provides an introduction to the art of the Himalayan mountainn range, including the cultures of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan as well as the interrelated traditions of India, Mongolia, and China. The art of this region reflects the sacred traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. This exhibition introduces you to the types of figures and symbols oftenn encountered in Himalayan art, the materials and techniques used to create it, and its purpose and function in sacred and secular contexts. Gateway to Himalayan Art provides you with the visual tools to deepen your understanding and appreciation of the art on vieww throughout the museum. Map of the Himalay yan Region Look at the map and find Mt. Everest, the tallest peak in the world. Everest is part of thee Himalayas, a wide chain of mountains thatt stretch from Afghanistan in the West to Bhutan inn the East. 8 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Explore your thoughts on the following: Locate countries that border parts of the Himalayan mountain range. How might these massive mountains have influenced the development of Himalayan art and culture? Figures and Symbols The Buddha Shakyamuni The central figure in this painting representss the Buddha Shakyamuni who lived 2500 years ago in northern India and had a profound awakening while meditating under the Bodhi tree. Explore your thoughts on the following: The Buddha has distinctive physical features thatt tell the story of his spiritual awakening (enlightenment). Can you identify them in the painting? 9 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
The Buddha s head is surrounded d by a halo. In what other kinds of art do you see halos?? As you walk down the hallway, stop and look at artwork that depicts Bodhisattvas, Femalee Deities, and Wrathful Deities. Read the accompanying wall text. Which of thesee figures do you find most interesting? Why? At the end of the hallway, look at the wall diagram labeled Symbols, it includes illustrations of many of the common symbols and poses found in Himalayan art. Take a Looking Guide, located by the elevators. It contains the same images and descriptions as the wall diagram. During your museum visit, refer to this guide. Using the Looking Guide, find a symbol in a work of art. Symbol Name: Title and location of piece: 10 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Why do you find this symbol interesting? What types of visual symbols are important in your everyday life? 11 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Materials & Techniques One method for making sculpture in the Himalayass is through a technique called holloww metal casting, a method that thrives in the Himalayas today. This large display case showss how Nepalese artisanss have constructed a bronze sculpture of Tara, a Buddhist deity, inn multiple stages. Explore your thoughts on the following: Traditional Himalayan art is made by hand and each piece is one-of-a-kind. How do these labor intensivee processe influence the way you see Himalayan art? 12 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Shrine Room The Shrine Room provides an opportunity to experience Buddhist art in context. The shrine includes over 170 ritual objects made between the 133 th and 19 t h centuries from the Tibetan Plateau, China, and Mongolia. Explore your thoughts on the following: If you could walk into the shrine room and observe one object closely, which one would you choose? Describe the object below. 13 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Why does this object interest you? While visiting the Shrine Room, take a few minutes to rest in this peaceful space. Listen to the sounds of the chanting. Describe your visit to the Rubin Museum of Art in one word: What will you remember most clearly about your visit today? Useful Definitions Bodhisattva An awakened being, or heroic candidate to enlightenment, who their own spiritual awakening to help others achieve enlightenment. postpones Buddha A title given to beings who have attained spiritual awakening (enlightenment) in thee Buddhist tradition. The term the Buddha usually refers to the historical or Shakyamuni Buddha, Siddartha Gautana, who lived from approximately 563-483 BCE. Buddhism A religion and a philosophy that is based on the teachings of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha. The Buddhist tradition focuses on the attainment of enlightenment and nirvana and release from an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Deity A god, goddess, or divine character. 14 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
Enlightenment A spiritual awakening. In the Buddhistt tradition enlightenment is the moment when a complete understanding of the nature of reality and attainment of perfect wisdom and compassion is reached. Idealized Showing something in an unrealistically perfect form. Idealized works of art showw images of people and places using common conventions that have symbolic value, as opposed to epresenting them how they look in reality. Iconometry Rules and Himalayan art. measurements used for drawing correctly proportioned figures inn Meditation Continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation. Prophecy Prediction of a future event, often divinely inspired. Shrine A holy or sacred place where devotion is paid and offerings are made. Temples Buildings or places dedicated to the service or worship of a deity or deities. Transformation Change in form, appearanc ce, nature,, or character. Helpful Resources www.rmanyc.org: The Exhibitions On View page at our website provides links to audio tours available from itunesu, and Looking Guides that are easy to download. The guides aree designed to help visitors recognize common symbols and important figures found in this exhibition, as well as throughout the museum. itunesu -> Beyond Campus -> Rubin Museum of Art: Download audio tours, lectures and talks to learn more about current and previous exhibitions.. www.himalayanart.org: Many objects in the museum are identified with a HAR referencee number. Himalayan Art Resources is an online educational resource with over 40,000 images of paintings, sculptures, and ritual artifacts from the Himalayan cultural sphere. To conduct more extensive research of exhibition artwork and to download images, visit the HARR website, http:/ //www.himalayanart.org, and type in the HAR number into the search prompt. The Rubin Museum Project: Baruch College s partnership program with RMA. Please visit: http://blsciblogs.baruch.cuny.edu/rubinfellows/. 15 Baru uch Collegee Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook
The Borough of Manhattan Community College ( BMCC ) is a college that is alive with ideas and innovatio n, and supportive of the innate human striving for self-improvementit and wish to strive for We offer opportunity to those students who desire it. Located in the heart of New York City, BMCC reflects the best of downtown Manhattan: the culture of Tribeca, the vibrancy of Wall Street, and the promise of the Statue of Liberty. New York City is exciting and dynamic, and as a BMCC student, you become an integral part of the community. BMCC enrolls approxima ately 22,500 students in 28 10,000 more in continuing education programs. degree-programs and Our students come from the New York City area, and all over the world. An international college, BMCC has students from over 155 countries, who speak a variety of languages. We are one of the most unique community colleges in the country. Explore our Web site to learn what BMCC can offer you. Visit: http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ As part of its efforts to engage the broader CUNY community the staff of the Baruch College Rubin Museum Project produced this special edition of the Rubin Museum of Art University Guidebook k. The Rubin Museum Project works to facilitate relationships with the CUNY community that encourages these institutions to benefit from the resources and experiences available at the Rubin Museum of Art.