A Sense of Place
Students and Families Respond to Himalayan Art
August 4–September 18, 2006

The exhibition’s theme, “a sense of place,” was, for many students, an introduction to the idea of setting. Third- and sixth-grade students at PS 134, The Henrietta Szold School, participated in a five-month program designed to familiarize them with the art of the Himalayas through museum visits and close interaction with RMA educators during two ninety-minute Saturday workshops at the museum. This exhibition presents a collection of student works that focus on the topic of landscapes.

There is an additional selection of individual family works. These explore a painting from RMA’s collection featuring Tara, one of the most popular female Buddhas of Northern Buddhism. After a group discussion, students made sketches and planned their paintings. Younger students created their own landscapes stressing color, line, and shape. More-experienced students chose to depict places that are relevant in their lives, or let Himalayan art fire their imaginations to create spaces and characters.

Building the Collection: Acquisitions 2005–2006
October 13, 2006–February 9, 2007

This selection of forty-five objects from India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, and China is evidence of RMA’s dedication to building its collection in all areas of Himalayan art. Comprising twenty paintings, sixteen sculptures, and several other pieces such as masks, architectural details, embroidered textiles, manuscript covers, and stupas, the exhibitions highlights Himalayan objects from the tenth through the early twentieth century.

Each object on view contributes a partial answer to the question “What is Himalayan art?” The installation will change periodically to refocus the questions and to pose others. The Museum as a whole is a journey along many paths through Himalayan art, offering intimate encounters and changing perspectives.