"Bronze Mahakala Sculpture," Photo Credit: Norton Simon Entities
Buddhist art is most commonly known for its depictions of peaceful and compassionate deities, seated in an eternal state of blissful meditation and surrounded by beautiful light and an array of flowers. The Norton Simon Museum's newest exhibit proposes a new take on the popular notion of Buddhist art. Opening August 14th and running through March 8, 2010, "Divine Demons: Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art," features several paintings and sculptures of fearsome, demonic deities, as well as ancient ceremonial objects such as daggers and masks. All 18 pieces of this intimate exhibition are from the museum's permanent collection.
At first glance, these "Divine Demons" seem very menacing with angry faces, skulls of the dead and rings of fire surrounding them. However, their true nature within the Buddhist religion is that of protector. Especially true in Tibetan Buddhism, these deities act as guardians of the sanctity of the faith and symbolize several important aspects of the religion. Their wrathful depictions are said to represent their dedication and passionate fervor for their jobs.
"Wood Ritual Dagger," Photo Credit: Norton Simon Entities
The "Divine Demons: Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art" exhibit includes a 15th century bronze sculpture from Tibet of the god Mahakala, a 17th century painted wood ritual dagger and a 19th century Tibetan watercolor painting. The museum will hold a spotlight talk Saturday, September 12th at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The Norton Simon Museum houses more than 12,000 objects, roughly 1,000 of which are on view in the galleries and gardens. The collection consists of an astonishing collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century, a stellar collection of South and Southeast Asian art spanning 2,000 years, and Modern and Contemporary Art pieces form Europe and the U.S., which were acquired from the former Pasadena Art Museum.
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