On Monday, September 26th, we were very excited to host seventy high school freshmen from the Dwight School, who joined us for our first 3-D Mandala art workshop in our new, state-of-the-art Education Center.
During these 60-minute, interactive art-making experiences students explore the symbolism and structure of Himalayan art using images and objects from our teaching and gallery collection.
The Mandala of Pancha Raksha (HAR 274)
As an Independent School Partner of the Rubin Museum of Art, the Dwight School has access to free guided tours (among other benefits), which utilize the Museum’s collections to better illustrate the concepts that would be later used in the workshop. The program enhanced the Dwight School’s curriculum, which had already introduced mandalas, and began with the art workshop.
A mandala from the Rubin Museum's 2010 exhibition 'Mandala: The Perfect Circle'
Using what they knew and a few powerful PowerPoint images, the students combined design, self-expression, and imagination with architecture and geometry to unveil their own personal 3-D mandalas using art materials like chipboard, paper, glue and tape.
Mandalas, according to Tantric literature, represent the entire universe of a deity (including its entourage, palaces, and environment) in highly technical and precise circular diagrams–they can also be created of wood, textiles, or as paintings.
Students design their own 3-D mandalas using elements of Buddhist art and personal creativity.
A student's personal mandala castle
Another student's personal mandala castle
Once the students had gotten a feel for their own mandala art, we invited into the museum for inquiry-based gallery tours focusing on mandalas in the art of the Himalayas and their symbolic meanings.
Be sure to check out this amazing Prezi (cloud-based zooming presentation) that Dwight’s Chair of Visual & Performing Arts, Al Doyle, designed after the trip!
For more information on mandalas, visit Himalayan Art Resources (HAR) online.