OLTRE IL MURO: ARTE e FOTOGRAFIA: THE SOUND OF ONE HAND: PAINTINGS AND CALLIGRAPHY BY ZEN MASTER HAKUIN

lunedì 11 luglio 2011

THE SOUND OF ONE HAND: PAINTINGS AND CALLIGRAPHY BY ZEN MASTER HAKUIN

Pavilion for Japanese Art, East Wing, Levels 1–3
May 22, 2011–August 14, 2011

Hakuin Ekaku (白隠慧鶴, Hara, 1686 – Hara, 1769)

è monaco e maestro zen giapponese:
«Per praticare lo Zen sono necessarie tre cose: per iniziare, la grande radice della Fede; poi il grande Dubbio; e infine una forte Determinazione per raggiungere lo scopo. »

Image: Hakuin Ekaku, Japan, 1685 1769, Daruma, 18th century, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Image: 44 1/2 x 19 3/4 in. (113.03 x 50.17 cm); Mount: 77 3/4 x 25 in. (197.49 x 63.5 cm), Gift of Murray Smith. M.91.220.

Part 1: May 22–June 28, 2011
Part 2: July 1, 2011–August 14, 2011
The exhibition will be closed Thursday, June 30, 2011.
Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768) is widely acknowledged as the most important Zen Buddhist master of the past 500 years. He was also the most influential Zen artist of Edo-period (1615-1868) Japan, but unlike the highly studied monk painters of earlier centuries, he received no formal artistic training beyond the basic skills in handling brush, ink, and paper that were required for everyday writing.
Hakuin’s self-taught, spontaneous, yet masterly and inspired painting and calligraphy, just like his teachings and writings, expressed the mind and heart of Zen for monks and lay followers alike. With the aim of reaching out to people of all social and economic classes, rather than just the élite, he invented a new visual language for his religion, depicting everyday subjects and themes from other Buddhist sects, as well as Zen patriarchs and masters.
For this first exhibition in the West devoted to Hakuin, nearly 80 of his scrolls will be gathered from collections in the United States and Japan. Organized in collaboration with New Orleans Museum of Art, and curated by Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Professor Stephen Addiss. The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA’s East Asian Art Council.
The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art.
The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA's East Asian Art Council.
Image: Hakuin Ekaku, Japan, 1685 1769, Daruma, 18th century, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Image: 44 1/2 x 19 3/4 in. (113.03 x 50.17 cm); Mount: 77 3/4 x 25 in. (197.49 x 63.5 cm), Gift of Murray Smith. M.91.220.

Tea Bowl - Hakuin Ekaku - 18th century

Hanging scroll; ink on paper, image: 25 1/8 x 11 1/4 in.

The relationship between the Japanese tea ceremony and Zen Buddhism is deep and complex, both philosophically and aesthetically. The tea master Jakuan Sotaku wrote, “The spirit of tea is the spirit of Zen...If you do not know the taste of Zen, you do not know the taste of tea.”

Hotei Meditating - Hakuin Ekaku

18th century - Ginshu Collection

Hanging scroll; ink on paper, 48.7 x 19.8 in.

One of Hakuin’s favorite subjects was the Chinese monk Hotei shown here seated in meditation atop a large bag. Hotei’s name means "cloth bag"; he is always shown with a bag containing all his worldly possessions. The inscription above by Hakuin reads: “Well, monk, what a surprise—have you come to do zazen (seated meditation) today?”“Yup!”

Monju - Hakuin Ekaku - 18th century

Hanging scroll; ink on paper, 31.96 x 10.63 in.

Chikusei Collection

Seated on a lion holding a lotus is the bodhisattva, Monju (in Sanskirt Manjusri). Bodhisattvas, are potential Buddhas who vow to remain on earth to help living beings in their quest for enlightenment. Monju represents wisdom and the power to cut through all obstacles.

Seated Daruma, Seen from the Side - Hakuin Ekaku - 18th century

Hanging scroll; ink on paper, 42.52 x 14.69 in., Ginshu Collection

Daruma is the legendary meditation master who became the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism. Hakuin painted Daruma dozens of times, here seen from the side, the inscription above reads: "No matter how you look at him..." suggesting that no matter how they are represented, ultimately Daruma’s teachings are always with us.
http://www.lacma.org/art/ExhibHakuin.aspx