MY STYLE: Sacred Style at the Frist Museum

In the last installment of My Style series shot at the The Frist Center, I finally take you inside the museum. When the staff at the museum allowed me to view the Secrets of Buddhist Art exhibit, I wanted to wear something special. I contacted my friend, Charles Lord, to see what we could come up with. HE created this gorgeous robe made from vintage Indian sarees. I was so amazed at this beautiful robe, I couldn’t wait to wear it to the museum.

At the Frist Center for Visual Arts, Buddhist Art Exhbit

This exhibit is one of the most interesting and sacred exhibits the museum has ever hosted:

“Secrets of Buddhist Art showcases magnificent and rare works of art from the Newark Museum’s renowned collection, revealing Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist practices of Tibet, Japan, and Korea. . . . The exhibition also features a ritually created Tibetan sand mandala that connects to the older works of art and reminds us that this is very much a living practice.”

When you visit this exhibit, take your time; schedule about two hours to take in the presentation. Each piece of art (from sacred scrolls to ultra detailed sculptures) tells a story of several monks, Buddhas, and the history of Buddhist studies. When you get through the exhibit you are greeted with the most amazing site. The sacred sand mandala painting!

Believe me, this is even BETTER in person

Y’all, this is one of the greatest works of art of ever seen. Made with various colored sand, the traditional Mandala is assembled on site by Buddhist monks within a one week period. Each part of the mandala tells a story and each part means something special. You’d have to go to the exhibit to get a full meaning of each section. The sand painting will remain in place until May 7, 2017, when the monks will return to ritually destroy it. You are invited to attend this beautiful ceremony, which symbolizes the transience of life central to Buddhist philosophy (source).

Wearing this beautiful robe made me feel ultra special. This was definitely a work of art. I love it because the designer put his heart into it’s design. Having a custom piece created just for me is the essence of life. Working with a designer who has your best interests at heart, while pushing you out of the box is a gift. I hope you support your local artists who put their heart into creating sacred styles.