Artlog

Located in the Himalayas to the east of Mount Everest and Nepal, and bordered by India and Tibet (China), Bhutan is unique as a sovereign nation that has maintained its ancient culture, arts, and religious and political traditions intact. Significantly, Bhutan is one of the few countries in Asia that was 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 objects remain in ritual use in temples and monasteries and have never before been accessible to a Western audience. In an unprecedented effort, the exhibition also documents ritual Buddhist dance forms through video footage and photographs. The exhibition will include roughly 150 works of art, comprising paintings, sculptures, clay and stone carving, metalwork, textiles, and ritual objects.