In March, I traveled to Spain for a work-related vacation (really!). I spent four days walking the last 112km of El Camino de Santiago (“The Way to Santiago”). That’s about 70 miles, with a 25-pound pack and camera in tow. I consider myself in fairly good shape, and I was truly hobbling into Santiago by the end. I suppose that’s as it should be. As my body broke down, my mind carried me through. When my mind buzzed too much, my rhythmic breathing calmed me. The beautiful Spanish countryside inspired me throughout. And most significantly, new group of pilgrim friends encouraged me most on that last, long day of walking. The Camino is an amazing experience, and one that is clearly designed to humble its pilgrims.
Keep in mind, though, I only walked for four days!!! The most popular route on the Camino takes you from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port in France, almost 500 miles from Santiago. Pilgrims have walked various routes along “The Way” for many, many years. Just think about all those footsteps, moving in one direction, for so long! Pilgrimage is powerful and physical, and it’s a process shared among many religious traditions. We just opened Pilgrimage and Faith here at the museum. The exhibition focuses on the role of pilgrimage in Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. It’s another great example of cross-cultural perspectives on universal themes, as seen in various exhibitions here at the Rubin over the last few years. And in the practice of reflection, I can’t help but think about our museum as a kind of pilgrimage site.
I think about all of the visitors I’ve talked with at the Rubin over the 2 years I’ve been on staff here. The man who called ahead of his trip to New York to find out when, exactly, the museum doors would open (a call I probably should have made to the Reina Sofia in Madrid before I went…but I’ll say more about that in Pilgrimage: Part 2) and whether or not a public tour would be taking place in the exhibition he was planning to see, or the woman who organized her entire trip to New York to surprise a Jungian friend and visit The Red Book exhibition together early last year, or the many people who make personal pilgrimages up Mt. Everest or through Bhutan who now come to the Rubin Museum of Art to reconnect with those places and cultures.