“People wander the forest of existence and have only their ignorance to show them the way. The Buddha opens their eyes to wisdom and leads them to Nirvana.”-Bhavaviveka (Indian philosopher, sixth century) An installation in Gallery 4, The Garden features objects from the museum's Eastern and Western art collections that either emerge from historical Buddhist traditions or simply lend themselves to meditative reflection. Included are artworks dating from 200 BCE to the present by artists from India, China, Japan, Tibet, and Vietnam-countries where Buddhism has flourished for centuries-along with works by Western artists one might not expect to encounter in an exhibition inspired by Buddhism. One goal of the project is to explore ways of designing an exhibition that encourages visitors to slow down and spend time with works of art. The resonance between objects from different cultures paired in unconventional ways invites viewers to invest the works with possibility. While The Garden does not propose a literal translation of Buddhist thought, the gallery will serve as a space to ponder the basic concepts of Buddhism: the vow of the Buddha, the four noble truths, the eight-fold path, and meditation as a way to enlightenment. As in many spiritual traditions, meditation is a crucial element of Buddhism. The goal of the Bodhisattva is for everyone to reach nirvana, or freedom from suffering. It is the Buddhist belief that through the individual's efforts toward virtuous conduct, deep contemplation, and intuitive wisdom, enlightenment can be achieved. Among the works in the gallery addressing the theme of meditation are a page from a turn-of-the-century Tibetan Illustrated Text on Monastic Arts and Sciences and a Flying Female Figure (c. 1744) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The Tibetan monk's robe carefully placed on the tree branches in which he sits and the simple folds of drapery in the Tiepolo drawing create a subtle rhyme. Flying Female Figure conjures thoughts of fourteenth-century women mystics who through monastic meditation practices reached divine levels of awareness. More traditional works such as a fourteenth-century Japanese scroll showing the Entry of Buddha into Nirvana will also be presented. Over the course of the exhibition, the museum will host related events being developed by other campus units and departments-poetry readings, musical performances, and talks-presented with the support of the Consortium for the Arts at UC Berkeley.
