See you, Rubin!
"The Sole Victor: The Perfect Image of Jainism" Cover
Published in 2009, a book with the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from September 2009 to February 2010
"The Sole Victor: The Perfect Image of Jainism" Cover
Published in 2009, a book with the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from September 2009 to February 2010
"Mirror of the Awakened: Portraiture in Early Tibet" Cover
Published in 2011, the book with the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from October 2011 to March 2012.
"Origin: Regional Style in Tibetan Painting" Cover
Published in 2012, book with the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from October 2012 to March 2013.
Harmony, nature, spirituality, awakening, and healing are its foundation.
When we feel weary from constant conflict and attacks,
Himalayan art continues to elucidate the essence of life to us.
Excerpt from an interview with the Rubin couple (2016).
Published in 2012, the book shares the same title as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from March 2012 to February 2013.
Title: The Art of Tibetan Medicine: The Balance of the Body
Published in 2014, corresponding to the exhibition of the same name
The exhibition ran from March to September 2014
(Refer to the two previous articles about Medicine King Mountain)
Published in 2014, the book shares the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition ran from May 2015 to October 2015.
Published in 2018, the book of the same name as the exhibition
The exhibition was held from February 2018 to January 2019.
On October 10, 2024, the Swedish Academy decided to award this year's Nobel Prize in Literature to South Korean writer Han Jiang, while just a few days earlier on October 6, the Rubin Museum in New York officially closed its physical space. For those who care about cultural endeavors, these seemingly unrelated events together present a theme of "memory and hope," which is constantly emphasized in civilization. People sang and danced in front of the museum, each expressing their unique memories of the "past Rubin," and such retrospection can help us to face the fundamental reasons for this situation, namely the social situation and the urgent need for structural innovation in cultural endeavors in the post-pandemic era. As Han Jiang said in an interview, "Hope will not disappear, it always exists among us." Therefore, the art of survival is the art of hope, and the survival strategy of choosing between them is the fundamental essence of "art being art," and a "future Rubin" will reappear before people's eyes.
Before understanding the survival strategy of the "future Rubin," it is necessary to revisit the development history of the "past Rubin," because there are shared ideals that embody the "Rubin spirit" between the two, namely the original intention of protecting specific regional cultural heritage, the pursuit of public art services, and the determination to support relevant cultural endeavors (especially in research and artistic creation fields). For the Rubin couple who founded the museum, the specific ideals above can be summarized with a sentence they said in an interview: "Use exhibitions to combat silence, and use art to change the status quo." Since the 1970s, the Rubin couple has been passionate about collecting "memory carriers" from the Himalayan region, and two thangka works related to White Tara and the Sakya sect teacher opened their long journey of collection. In 1995, they founded the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting community arts activities and related charitable causes. The highly praised Treasury of Lives and Himalayan Art Resources were established with the foundation's funding. In 2004, the Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) officially opened to the public.
A book with the same title as the exhibition in 2019
The exhibition ran from February to July 2019
Published in 2023
Acclaimed by The Washington Post as
"The Best Introductory Guide to Himalayan Art"
Dating back to the 16th century, originally housed in the Rubin Museum
Bhairava, believed to be the fierce incarnation of the god Shiva
Rubin decided to return this mask to Nepal
What is the survival strategy for the "Future Rubin"? Firstly, as a global virtual museum and cultural space, Rubin will strengthen the representation and exhibition frequency of Himalayan art in various physical museums and related cultural institutions, including long-term loans of precious collections from Rubin to museums worldwide. Secondly, in order to fulfill Rubin's long-standing commitment to public engagement, the space will nurture and broaden people's creative exploration and individual interpretations of Himalayan traditional art, including supporting and promoting contemporary artists inspired by the region's art and cultural heritage. Furthermore, the space will expand research on Himalayan art, with a particular focus on Rubin's collections (emphasizing interpretation and sustainability). The non-physical mode will pique interest in the region's culture and change previous modes of exchange and viewing. Finally, Rubin will continue its "collection repatriation" program and engage in practical dialogues with the originating communities, further raising awareness on this topic. It is believed that while we reminisce about the "Past Rubin," the "Future Rubin" will surely become a new spiritual home for people.
After the Ruben Museum closes,
The Buddha Hall will be relocated to the Brooklyn Museum in New York.