Release: Immediate
Contact: Esther Wu
214-271-4484
Mystical Arts of Tibet at Crow Collection
The Mystical Arts of Tibet returns to the Crow Collection of Asian Art Sunday, October 11, as Dallas celebrates the Grand Opening Week of the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District.
The Tibetan Buddhist monks will begin construction of a sacred sand-mandala in Gallery III of the Crow Collection of Asian Art at 1 p.m. Sunday, October 11.
Madalas are part of the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism and ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite art forms. In Tibetan culture this art is called dul-tson-kyil-khor, which literally means “mandala of colored powders”.
The monks begin the process by outlining the mandala on a wooden platform. Then using traditional metal funnels called a chak-pur, the monks pour the colored sand onto the outline. Each monk holds a chak-pur in one hand, while running a metal rod on its grated surface. The vibration causes the sand to flow like liquid.
During the course of the week, millions of grains of colored, crushed marble are painstakingly layered into place to form a traditional prescribed iconography that includes geometric shapes and a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols and is used as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants.
On the seventh day, immediately after the mandala is completed, the sand is swept up, and placed in an urn. Some of the sand will be distributed to the audience. The remaining sand will be taken to a body of flowing water and deposited, thereby carrying healing energy into the world. In Dallas, this will take place at Turtle Creek.
Visitors are invited to come watch the monks in Gallery III of the Crow Collection of
Asian Art as they work on the sand-mandala each day. This remarkable experience is free to the public.
There will be several events scheduled at the Crow Collection this week with the Tibetan Monks. They include:
n The Opening Ceremony for the Mystical Arts of Tibet will be held from 1-2:30 PM Sunday, October 11. Tickets for the ceremony are $10 for Friends of the Crow Collection and $25 for non-members. Reservation may be made by calling 214-6438 or on line at crowcollection.org.
n A Gallery Talk about mandalas and their religious and artistic significance will be held at noon, Wednesday Oct. 14. This event is free and no reservations required.
n Zen in the City will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday, October 16. Students from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Printmaking Class will present original prayer flags to the Tibetan monks in a collaborative ceremony at 7 p.m., followed by tea with the monks, museum tours, musical performances and more. Free. No reservations required.
n Shamatha Meditation Sitting will be held with the monks from 1-2 PM Saturday October 17. A $10 donation to the Drepung Loseling Monastery is suggested. No reservations required, but space is limited.
n The Closing ceremony for the Mystical Arts of Tibet will be held from 4-5:30 PM Sunday October 18 during Spotlight Sunday in the Arts District when the monks dismantle the sand mandala. This traditional ceremony marks the impermanence of all that exists. Following the ceremony the sand will be pour into Turtle Creek. Maps to the dispersal will be provided. Tickets to the closing ceremony are $10 for Friends of the Crow Collection, $25 for non-members. Tickets may be reserved by calling 214-979-6438 or online at crowcollection.org.
The Crow Collection is located at 2010 Flora Street in the downtown Dallas Arts District. The museum is open from 10 AM to 9 PM Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. For more information visit crowcollection.org or call 214-979-6430.
