Art

  • Buddha Buzz: Wolverines, Starbucks, and a Buddhist Statue from Outer Space Paid Member

    For someone whose job consists of (among other things, I swear) writing about the news every week, I don't like reading the news all that much. It's just too depressing. So forgive me while I indulge myself in something much more fun.Hey there, Hugh Jackman.The promotional posters for the next Wolverine movie have been released, with Jackman standing in front of what looks like a Buddhist temple (see, this had relevance after all). The movie is set in Japan, so now I'm wondering: is it going to have a Buddhist theme? We'll have to wait until next July to find out. More »
  • Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Charts Paid Member

    Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff is making sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting weekly images from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining their roles in the Buddhist tradition. This week Jeff explores different types of Himalayan Buddhist charts. Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Charts More »
  • Buddha Buzz: Buddhist News from Around the World, Week of September 17 Paid Member

    Here's a fun fact: the Tricycle offices in New York are in the same building as a club owned by the rapper Jay-Z. Usually, it doesn't mean much. No one is at work at 3 am on a Friday, which is presumably when the club is—excuse me for using this word—hoppin'. But this Monday Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce hosted a fundraiser for President Obama in the club, and the Tricycle staff were sent home early by what we presume were the Secret Service's orders. Because nothing is more threatening to the President's safety than a bunch of Buddhists typing furiously on their computers. More »
  • Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Color, Activity & Iconography Paid Member

    Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff is making sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting weekly images from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining their roles in the Buddhist tradition. This week Jeff tells us about the significance of colors in Buddhist iconography. Himalayan Buddhist Art 101: Color, Activity & Iconography More »
  • New Interview with Nicholas Vreeland: Monk, Photographer, Abbot Paid Member

    Tricycle's Fall 2012 issue features the stunning, black-and-white photos of Nicholas Vreeland: a monk, professional photographer, and newly-appointed abbot of Rato Dratsang monastery. (He also happens to be the grandson of fashion icon Diana Vreeland.) The first Westerner to be appointed abbot of a Tibetan monastery, H.H. the Dalai Lama told him upon his appointment that "his special duty was to be a bridge between the Tibetan tradition and the Western world." Born to diplomat parents in Geneva, Switzerland, and subsequently dividing his childhood among Germany, Morocco, and the United States, Vreeland is a unique bridge, indeed. More »
  • Buddha Buzz: Buddhist News from Around the World, Week of September 10 Paid Member

    Buddhist hipsters of the world, rejoice! A couple of Australian entrepreneurs have started to brew "Lucky Buddha Beer," which comes with the tagline...oh, just you wait for this one..."Get Lucky." Sigh. Always the clever ones, those Australian entrepreneurs. Wouldn't it be so nice if getting enlightened was as simple as buying a kitschy beer? The makers of Lucky Buddha Beer's website seem to think that it's as easy as clicking on a button: I'm praying to everything that I hold dear in this life that the advertising copy on their site was written with a healthy dose of humor: More »