So Long, Rubin: Farewell to a Himalayan Art Institution
Published in 2007, the cover of *The Book of Magic Words: A Vocabulary Full of Magic* bears the same title as its accompanying exhibition, which was on display from November 2007 through April 2008.
A 2009 publication titled "The Sole Victor: The Perfect Image of Jainism" bears the same name as the exhibition it accompanies, whose run lasted from September 2009 to February 2010. Similarly, "Mirror of the Awakened: Portraiture in Early Tibet," released in 2011, shares its title with an exhibition held between October 2011 and March 2012; both books display the exhibition's name on their covers.
From a 2016 interview with the Rubin couple: when we feel weary from constant conflict and attacks, Himalayan art continues to elucidate the essence of life to us. Its foundation is harmony, nature, spirituality, awakening, and healing, and its impact on modern society will persist. The book titled "Origin: Regional Style in Tibetan Painting" was published in 2012 and shares its name with an exhibition that ran from October 2012 to March 2013.
The book, published in 2012 per its cover, carries the same title as the exhibition, which ran from March 2012 to February 2013.
Published in 2014, the work "The Art of Tibetan Medicine: The Balance of the Body" matched an exhibition of the same name, which took place from March to September of that year. For the two earlier articles on Medicine King Mountain, refer to those separate pieces. In addition, the cover for "Paradise of Collections: Kashmir Buddhist Art and its Heritage" also came out in 2014, sharing its title with an exhibition that ran from May to October 2015.
Published in 2018, the book "The Second Buddha: Master of Time" shares its name with an exhibition that ran from February 2018 to January 2019. On October 10, 2024, the Swedish Academy decided to award that year's Nobel Prize in Literature to South Korean writer Han Jiang, while a few days earlier, on October 6, the Rubin Museum in New York officially closed its physical space.
These apparently disconnected events, for anyone interested in cultural work, collectively convey a theme that civilization never stops stressing: "memory and hope." In front of the museum, people were singing and dancing, each offering their own recollections of "the past Rubin." Looking back in this way allows us to confront the root causes behind the present circumstances—above all, the social conditions and the pressing requirement for structural renewal in cultural activities after the pandemic.
In an interview, Han Jiang remarked, "Hope will not disappear, it always exists among us." From this, the art of surviving is the art of hoping, and the fundamental core of "art being art" lies in the survival strategy of choosing between the two. As a result, a "future Rubin" will once again appear before people’s eyes.
Before examining the survival strategy of the "future Rubin," one should first revisit the history of the "past Rubin." This is necessary because the two share core ideals that form the "Rubin spirit"—namely, the commitment to preserving specific regional cultural heritage, the goal of offering public art services, and the resolve to support cultural initiatives, especially in research and artistic creation.
In an interview, the Rubin couple, founders of the museum, encapsulated their ideals in a phrase: "Use exhibitions to combat silence, and use art to change the status quo." Their collecting journey, which began in the 1970s, was sparked by two thangka works depicting White Tara and a Sakya sect teacher, marking the start of their enduring passion for gathering "memory carriers" from the Himalayan region.
Having been established in 1995 to support community arts activities and related charitable causes, the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation provided funding for the acclaimed Treasury of Lives and Himalayan Art Resources. The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) first opened to the public in 2004.
"Opening Ceremony of the Museum with the Robinsons" "Faith and Empire: The Art and Politics of Tibetan Buddhism" Cover A book with the same title as the exhibition in 2019 The exhibition ran from February to July 2019 "108 Himalayan Art Collections: The Ultimate Guide" Published in 2023 Acclaimed by The Washington Post as "The Best Introductory Guide to Himalayan Art" "Accompanying the Bhairava Mask" Dating back to the 16th century, originally housed in the Rubin Museum Bhairava, believed to be the fierce incarnation of the god Shiva Rubin decided to return this mask to Nepal By 2024, this museum has passed twenty years of existence.
The museum has become a unique kind of "pilgrimage site" thanks to nearly four thousand artifacts from the Himalayan region, North Asia, Central Asia, and East Asia, spanning more than fifteen hundred years of history. Within that shared space, over a hundred and forty themed exhibitions draw in scholars, artists, community workers, and the public alike, as they examine historical details and take in the wisdom found throughout the ocean of art.
The question of survival strategy for the "Future Rubin" arises. Art historians, cultural researchers, students, and Himalayan art enthusiasts have come to rely on the numerous accompanying publications as study guides. Within these works, fresh concepts emerge, while the boundless imagination sparked by spiritual moments continues to grow and flourish.
First, Rubin—operating as a worldwide virtual museum and cultural venue—will boost how often and how prominently Himalayan art appears in physical museums and associated cultural organizations. This will involve offering long-term loans of valuable works from Rubin's collection to museums globally.
With a focus on interpretation and sustainability, the space will extend research into Himalayan art, particularly around Rubin's collections. To fulfill Rubin's long-standing commitment to public engagement, it will also support and promote contemporary artists who draw inspiration from the region's art and cultural heritage, while nurturing broader creative exploration and more individual interpretations of traditional Himalayan art.
It is believed that the "Future Rubin" will surely become a new spiritual home for people even as we remember the "Past Rubin." The non-physical mode will spark interest in the region's culture and shift previous approaches to exchange and viewing. Finally, Rubin will carry on its "collection repatriation" program and participate in practical dialogues with the originating communities, which will further raise awareness on the matter.
After the Ruben Museum shuts its doors, the Buddha Hall will be moved to the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Farewell, Rubin! You will always be with us. This text comes from a translation of Sorang Wangqing's blog.
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Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?