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Tibetan Buddhist Monks Sand Mandala Painting & Photo Exhibit at Saint John’s University

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn - Tibetan Buddhist monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery will construct a Mandala Sand Painting January 29 to February 2, 2007 at Saint John’s University’s Art Center.  The public is welcome to view the mandala, in its various stages of construction, throughout the week.

In conjunction with the sand mandala, Saint John’s University will host Tibet: Magical Land of Spiritual Wonders, a photo exhibit of twenty-one stunning color images taken by some of the world’s foremost photographic artists.  Images include the Potala Palace (home of the Dalai Lama), the Yumbu Lagang (Tibet’s first castle), the Jokhang (Tibet’s first temple), Samye (Tibet’s first monastery), as well as many other spiritually important and culturally significant subjects.  The public is invited to the exhibit reception and lecture on Friday, February 2, at 4:00 p.m. at the Saint John’s Art Center.

From all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, that of painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite. Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks to form the image of a mandala. To date the monks have created mandala sand paintings in more than 100 museums, art centers, and colleges and universities in the United States and Europe.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning sacred cosmogram. These cosmograms can be created in various media, such as watercolor on canvas, wood carvings, and so forth. However, the most spectacular and enduringly popular are those made from colored sand.

In general all mandalas have outer, inner and secret meanings. On the outer level they represent the world in its divine form; on the inner level they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into enlightened mind; and on the secret level they depict the primordially perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and the clear light dimension of the mind. The creation of a sand painting is said to effect purification and healing on these three levels.

The mandala sand painting begins with an opening ceremony, during which the lamas consecrate the site and call forth the forces of goodness. This is done by means of chanting, music and mantra recitation, and will be held on Monday, January 29, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in the Alice R. Rogers Gallery on the Saint John’s University campus.

The lamas begin the exhibit by drawing an outline of the mandala on the wooden platform. On the following days they lay the colored sands. Each monk holds a traditional metal funnel called a chakpur while running a metal rod on its grated surface. The vibration causes the sands to flow like liquid onto the platform.

Traditionally most sand mandalas are destroyed shortly after their completion. This is done as a metaphor for the impermanence of life. The sands are swept up and placed in an urn; to fulfill the function of healing, half is distributed to the audience at the closing ceremony, while the remainder is carried to a nearby body of water, where it is deposited. The waters then carry the healing blessing to the ocean, and from there it spreads throughout the world for planetary healing. The closing ceremony will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. in the Alice R. Rogers Gallery on the Saint John’s University campus.

Mystical Arts of Tibet Sand Mandala Painting and Photo Exhibit:

Opening Ceremony: Monday, January 29, 2007 at 4:00 p.m.

Lecture/Exhibit Reception: Friday, February 2, 2007 at 4:00 p.m.

Closing Ceremony: Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.

Saint John’s University Art Center

The College of Saint Benedict for women and Saint John’s University for men are partners in liberal arts education, providing students the opportunity to benefit from the distinctions of not one, but two nationally recognized Catholic, undergraduate colleges. Together, the colleges challenge students to live balanced lives of learning, work, leadership and service in a changing world.

For Release: Immediate
Contact: Leslie Hanlon
CSB/SJU Fine Arts Programming
320-363-5311; lhanlon@csbsju.edu

Posted: November 29, 2006