The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan
February 20–May 10, 2009
Lee, Hambrecht, Osher Galleries
East of Mount Everest and bordered by India and Tibet, Bhutan is a remote and mystical kingdom, considered by many as “The Last Shangri-La.” A sovereign nation that has maintained its cultural, artistic, and religious traditions intact, it is one of the few countries in Asia never colonized by its neighbors or Western powers.
The first exhibition of its kind, The Dragon's Gift provides an exceptionally rare opportunity to view some of the most sacred and beloved Buddhist arts in Bhutan.
Many of the 150 objects – intricate paintings, sculptures, textiles, and more – are still used in temple and monastery rituals and never have been accessible to a Western audience. All are on public view for the first time.
Also documented through video footage are the colorful ancient dance forms that are integral to Bhutanese Buddhist practice.
Don't miss a stunning showcase of Buddhist art from the "Land of the Thunder Dragon."
This exhibition is organized by the Honolulu Academy of Arts and the Department of Culture, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The art conservation, dance preservation, and educational programs of The Dragon’s Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan are made possible through the lead support of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation.
Major support for The Dragon’s Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan is provided by the E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Michael and Patricia O’Neill Charitable Fund, Susan Pillsbury, and Lawrence and Joyce Stupski. Additional support is provided by Le Burta G. Atherton, the Freeman Foundation, Hotels & Resorts of Halekulani, Japan Airlines, Drukair, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the W.L.S. Spencer Foundation.
Terese Tse Bartholomew, curator emeritus of Himalayan art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, served as guest curator of the exhibition.
Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible by support from the Columbia Foundation, American Express, the Shau-Wai & Marie Lam Family Foundation, Carmen M. Christensen, Frances Bushell, Richard C. Blum and The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, John and Heather Little, and Doris Shoong Lee and Theodore Bo Lee.
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