Art Minded

The second episode in the meditation series focuses on a Mandala from the Sam and Myrna Myers Collection. The practice in ancient Indian monastic communities of recycling donations of cloth and clothing gave rise to techniques of patchwork and appliqué that characterized textiles used by the clergy and in worship as the Buddhist faith spread across Asia. In Tibet, imported silks were always in short supply; the practice of making patchworks of luxury silks became a pious act born of necessity. Mandalas were used by Tibetans in daily and religious life. Numerological diagrams were important systems for calculating horoscopes and forecasting the future. In the context of Tantric Buddhism, geometric patchworks evoked the matrix of time and space in which the soul was caught in the web of existence.  The recordings are meant to be enjoyed anywhere—in the comfort of the listener’s home or in the exhibition itself. Downloadable MP3 files are available on the Kimbell’s website, kimbellart.org.