rma
today i accidentally wound up going to the rubin museum of art at 7th and 17th.
I was just going on a walk after eating breakfast in union sq. and when i looked up i happened to be right there so i decided to go.
Coincidentally, it was open house day so i didn’t have to pay the horrendous $2 admission.
The museum is set up great, it’s 6 flrs and basement with an oval-ish staircase running through. On each floor they have plenty of comfy cushions and benches to sit on. And there’s an ‘interactive’ part too. Like you get to draw in the bhutan style (wrathful face and peaceful face!) or watch this guy paint.
On the first floor, there was a woman weaving-very labor intensive. (sangay choden)
The actual ‘art’ is hilarious. First of all, it’s not done for the purpose of art. it’s done just to record and teach people the stories of the religion and stuff. But omg is it funny. There’s dancing skeletons, 1000 hands and 11 heads, cranes eating humans, rainbows shooting out of headless bodies and other crazy stuff. I couldn’t stop internally laughing.
and this one large thanka(?) was completely embroidered and filled with tiny tiny peking stitches/knots. hoo-ee.body shooting out rainbows!!!
copulating deities? no…it’s the union of transient wisdom with uh…drat. i forgot.
and they had cool handouts explaining the different positions of the hand.
really nice bw photography in basement, also where guy was working on sand mandala. really intense. dropping sand pinch by pinch.
ahaha and i couldn’t stop laughing at this one! the guys expression! If only i could get bigger pics, but alas, the museum only has little bitty pics online.
wrathful god in the fighting position!
i also want a design that lets you click the pictures to see them full size.
