Vajradhara

ARTH 789: Graduate Seminar
Imagining Shangrila: Tibetan Art and Historiography

Department of Art History
Virginia Commonwealth Univers
ity

Dr. Dina Bangdel
Assistant Professor
Office: 302 Buford Hall
Phone: 628-7037
Office Hrs: Wednesdays 10:30-12:30 or by appointment
email: dbangdel@vcu.edu

Course Description

The course has two specific content concentrations: (1) overview of Tibetan art and architecture from the 7th century through the contemporary period, with particular focus on the relationship between Tibetan Buddhist imagery and the religious practice (2) explore the construction and imagination of “Tibet” as a cultural phenomena in Western understanding. Here we will explore the notion of Tibet as the “lost Shangrila” and how this notion has shaped the both the scholarly and popular interests in Tibet and Tibetan Art. In this context, we will critically consider art historical scholarship on Tibetan art and the varied approaches and methodologies to study to visual imagery.

 

Required Text:
You will be required to buy the coursepack, which will include the weekly readings for class discussion. In addition, supplementary readings as e-files will also be available on Cabel Library Reserve or on Blackboard.

 

Optional Recommendated Texts:
Art of Tibet by Robert Fisher (London: Thames and Hudson, 1997).  This is a very general survey text.

Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice by Jonathan Landaw. (Snow Lion Publication, 1994). This is a good overview of the iconology of Tibetan Buddhist art.

Prisoners of Shangrila by Donald Lopez. (University of Chicago Press, 1998). Highly Recommened for a critical understanding of the myth of Shangrila. We will have a significant portion of the reading from this book.

Curators of the Buddha: Study of Buddhism under Colonialism. (University of Chicago Press, 1995). Recommended for understanding the state of scholarship in Buddhist studies.

Course Requirements:

The course format consists of lecture, weekly readings and reaction papers, in-class discussion. You will have a final research paper (10-15 pages) and a 20-minute formal presentation on your topic of choice.

 

The first part of the course will be devoted to content lecture on Tibetan art.  Powerpoints of the inclass lecture will be available on Blackboard for your review.

 

The second part of the course will be discussion, based on the specific theme assigned for the week. Discussions will be based on the weekly readings, film viewing.  2 students are required to conduct the weekly discussion, highlighting the major issues found in the readings.You will be required to write a 1-2 page reaction paper based on the class readings/and discussion in a journal format.

 

Attendance:
A significance portion of the grade is based on class discussion/participation, hence attendance is absolutely CRITICAL. Since we only meet once a week, you are allowed one (1) unexcused absence during the entire semester. You will be required to present a dated note from a certified medical doctor, or a note of excuse from the Dean of the School of the Arts for an acceptable excuse for an absence.  Missing class beyond the one unexcused absence will result in the lower of the final course grade by one full letter grade for each excessive absence.  

Papers:
The writing assignments in this course include :

 

Weeks 4 and 5: Make appointments to see me regarding your paper topic/bibliography
Weeks 7 and 8: Make appointments to see me regarding progress on paper    
Weeks 10 and 11: Make appointment for rough draft.

Research paper due on the day of the Finals    

Final Presentation:
A 20-minute formal presentation will be based on your final research topic. You will be graded on the clarity of presentation, arguments, and delivery.  You will need to use Powerpoints.  For your final presenation, I would like the students to be familiar with a) scanning images; b) using the basics of Photoshop for correcting images (I will be happy to conduct a workshop session, if we need); and c) use/delivery of images in Pointpoint

Grading

                        Classroom Discussion / Attendance                        35%     

            Journal/Short Papers                                20%     
Final Paper / Presentation                         45%

VCU Honor Code:
All students are subject to the policies and regulations of the VCU Honor System. It is the student's responsibility to familiarize themselves with the honor system as presented in the Schedule ofClasses, the VCU Resource Guide, and the Undergraduate Bulletin, or on the VCU web site at:
http://www.students.vcu.edu/rg/policies/rg7honor.html

Disability Accommodations:
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 require Virginia Commonwealth University to provide academic adjustments or accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students seeking academic adjustments or accommodations must self-identify with the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities on the appropriate campus. After meeting with the Coordinator, students are encouraged to meet with instructors to discuss their needs and, if applicable, any laboratory safety concerns related to their disabilities.
Academic Campus Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities: 828-1139.

Students requesting accommodation based on a disability MUST provide documentation from the Campus Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities. This documentation is generally in the form of a letter from that office detailing specific requests. Students not cleared by that office are not eligible for adjustments.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Week 1: January 17
Introduction to the Course                     
            · Overview of the course
            · Introduction to Buddhist art: Themes and Approaches
            · Constructing Visuality in Tibetan Art.

           
Week 2: January 24
            Imagining Tibet: Construction of Shangrila
           
                        Films (in Cabell Library Media Room)
                        Kundun, Martin Scorsese.
                        Seven Years in Tibet
                        Little Buddha (optional)
Readings:
Donald Lopez, Prisoners of Shangrila, Introduction; Chapter 1: The Name;
Orvil Schnell, Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangrila from the Himalayas to Hollywood, Chapter 1“Tibet as Place and Myth;” Chapter 19-22 (pp. 286-316).

 

Week 3: January 31:
            LECTURE: Sources of Tibetan Art: Indian Origins I
            Sakyamuni as the Paradigm of Enlightenment

a.          the life of the Buddha
            b.         relics of the Buddha
            c.          Buddha as personification of the teaching
            d.         Buddha as first Guru/Teacher

Objects/Monuments:
Early Buddhist Art of India: Kushana-Gupta Period

            DISCUSSION: Imagining Shangrila
           
           
           
           
Week 4: February 7 :Sources of Tibetan Art: Indian Origins 2:
Tantric Buddhist Practice and Art
           
Discussion /Readings: ISSUES OF EARLY BUDDHIST ART

Readings:
1. Susan Huntington, “Early Buddhist Art and the Theory of Aniconism.” Art Journal, Vol. 49, No. 4, New Approaches to South Asian Art (Winter, 1990)
2. Gary Tartakov, “Art and Identity: The Rise of a New Buddhist Imagery.” Art Journal, Vol. 49, No. 4, New Approaches to South Asian Art (Winter, 1990)

3. Huntington and Bangdel, Circle of Bliss, Tantra in India
4. Huntington and Bangdel, Circle of Bliss, Enlightenment Symbolized

 

 

 

Week 5: February 14: Sources of Tibet Art: Nepal

· Discussion /Readings: TANTRA IN ART AND PRACTICE

  1. Hugh Urban, Sex, Secrecy, Politics, and Power, Introduction and Cult of Ecstasy, Chapter 6
  2. Huntington and Bangdel, Circle of Bliss: Guru-Disciple Relationship; 133-44; 230-231
  3. Rawson, Art of Tantra, 160-186
  4. Huntington and Bangdel, Circle of Bliss: Tantra in Nepal

 

  1. (as reference) Michael Hutt, Nepal. 50-64, 74-79, 109-115, 138-159

Week 6: February 21: ART OF TIBET: 7th-15th century
            ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Discussion /Readings:

 

           
Week 7: February 28: Art in the Ritual Context: Reincarnation, Practice, and Uses of Art

 

Discussion /Readings:   

 

            FILM: Reincarnation of Khensur Rinpoche

 

Week 8: March 7: Tibetan Buddhist Iconography: Production and Consecration of Image
           
            Discussion/Lecture: Archetypes and Tantric Buddhist Deities

  1. Chandra Reedy, “The Opening of Consecrated Tibetan Bronzes with Interior Contents: Scholarly, Conservation, and Ethical Considerations,” Journal of the American Institute of Conservation, 1991.
  2. Ann Shaftel, “Conservation Treatment of Tibetan Thangkas” Journal of the American Institute of Conservation, 1991.

 

  1. Robert Hatt, “A Thirteenth Century Tibetan Reliquary: An Iconographic and Physical Analysis,” Artibus Asiae, 1980

 

Week 9: March 14          SPRING BREAK

Week 10: March 21        Tibetan Painting Tradition: Style, Iconography, and Technique
            Readings:
            Jackson, D. Tibetan Painting, Select Pages
            Jane Casey Singer, Tibetan Painting: Towards a Definition of Style

 

Week 11: March 28:       The Study of Tibetan Art: The State of the Field

            Readings:
            Lopez: Prisoners of Shangrila. “The Art;” The Field; Conclusion
            Thierry, Imaginging Tibet. Select Reading
            Lopez, Curators of the Buddha. Select Pages.

 

Week 12: April 4: Collecting and Exhibiting Tibetan Art: A Critical Examination

Readings/Critiques of Exhibition Catalogues
Pal, Art of the Himalayas, Exhibition Catalogue
Pal, Tibet, Exhibition Catalogue
Valrae Reynolds, Art of the Sacred Realm, Newark Museum of Art
Thurman and Rhie, Wisdom and Compassion, Exhibition Catalogue
Huntington and Bangdel, Circle of Bliss, Exhibition Catalogue
Pal and Bartolomew, Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World, Exhibition Catalogue
Robert Linrothe, Demonic Divine OR Mahasiddhas. Exhibition Catalogue
                                                           
You will select three works to compare and contrast the approaches and methodology used to present Tibetan art.
                                                                       


ATTEND My Talk:
 Grace Street Theatre:
“Re-defining Shangrila: Modernity and Cultural Identity in Contemporary Tibetan Art” : 4pm

 

Week 13: April 11 : Tentative Field Trip to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
            We will have Dr. Joseph Dye give us a lecture with select object. Will confirm Week and Time.

Week 14: April 18: Modern and Contemporary Art in Tibet
            Discussion I: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
            Discussion II: Contemporary Art

Readings:
Kabir Mansingh Heimsath, Untitled Identities: Contemporary Art in Lhasa, Tibet
            Claire Harris: In the Image of Tibet, Select Pages
            Goldstein, M. Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet. Select Pages
           
Week 15: April 25
Wrap-up Discussion:
                                    Issues and Concepts: Constructing Tibet and Contextualizing Tibetan Art

                                    Course Reflection Paper Due: 2-3 pages typed
                                    “Constructing Tibetan and Contextualizing Tibetan Art”

           
           
Week 16: May 2
            Class Presentations

Finals Week: Presentations