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Demonic Divine: Himalayan Art and Beyond
Rob Linrothe and Jeff Watt
Contributing authors: Matthieu Ricard, Marylin Rhie and Carly Busta
LOOK inside the book using Google Books!
Demonic Divine: Himalayan Art and Beyond marks the Rubin Museum of Art's opening season as the first exhibition to focus on the "wrathful" image
in Himalayan Art. Centuries after early missionaries first claimed
these works and the artists who made them "demonic", the accompanying
catalog takes an in-depth look at the role of "wrathful" deities in
Himalayan art and in the world at large.
Focusing on 66 works of art, the book investigates how the violence,
grotesque features, and explicit postures of these "wrathful" figures
portray protection and benevolence. With nearly two hundred color
images highlighting both the visual power and artistic craftsmanship of
the artwork, the margin between horror and beauty becomes slim. This
extensive catalogue includes entries of all exhibited works along with
comprehensive essays by the exhibition's curator, Rob Linrothe
(Associate Professor of Art History at Skidmore College), Jeff Watt
(Director of the Himalayan Art Website), and Marylin Rhie (Professor of
Asian Art at Smith College.) Matthieu Ricard contributes the catalogue's
foreword.
Although drawing primarily from Himalayan work in RMA's permanent
collection the catalog also includes non-Asian art on loan from major
museums and private collections. The "demonic divine" is a fundamental
paradox not limited by time or geography. Works included range from ca.
13th century Tibet through 20th century Mexico.
This volume is an essential reference for libraries, art historians,
connoisseurs, and any reader seeking horrific beauty - an illustration
of the "Demonic Divine."
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