MAR 2006

VOLUME 37 - NUMBER 2

The first four articles in this month's issue are an extension of the exhibition 'Holy Madness: Portraits of Tantric Siddhas' at the Rubin Museum of Art (RMA), and its accompanying catalogue. Despite their historical importance in transmitting Trantric Buddhist practices from India to Tibet, mahasiddhas have often been relegated to the sidelines in Buddhist imagery. By exploring commonalities in mahasiddha narratives and representations in Hinduism, Buddhism and Bon, Rob Linrothe, Ulrich von Schroeder and Kathryn Selig Brown offer a paradigm shift in reading images fo these 'great adepts'. Caron Smith introduces some of the significant additions to the RMA cololection since its opening in 2004. Our other main feature celebrates Wen Fong's 45 years as a scholar, teacher and collector. Roderick Whitfield describes what it was like to study with him at Princeton, while Maxwell Hearn assesses Fong's instrumental role in building up the collections and the department of Asian art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In anticipation of Asia Week in New York, there are extensive previews of the major fairs and gallery shows. In the commentary, Julie Segraves describes how rapid urban development in Beijing has destroyed the dream of an artists' colony.

FEATURES
Inne Broos. Study Day Report: 'Contemporary Lhasa: Talking with Artists From Tibet', Asia House, London
Rob Linrothe. Siddha Stories in Stone: Nath Narratives at Shri Sailam
Ulrich von Schroeder. Empowered Masters: Tibetan Wall Paintings of Mahasiddhas at Gyantse
Moke Mokotoff. An Oasis of Buddhist Sacred Art, Scholarship, Meditation and Service in Remote India
A 'Padmasambhava Palace' in Southern Brazil
Maxwell K. Hearn. Wen C. Fong and Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum
Roderick Whitfield. Streams and Mountains Without End: The Far Vision of Wen Fong
Caron Smith. Building the Rubin Museum of Art Collection
Rob Linrothe. Subject, Object and Agent: Parsing the Syntax of Tibetan Mahasiddha Art
Kathryn H. Selig Brown. 'Great Magicians' in Bon Art
PREVIEWS & REVIEWS
The International Asian Art Fair
Fair Preview: The Arts of Pacific Asia Show in New York
Fair Preview: The European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht
COMMENTARY
Julie M. Segraves. Commentary: Artists and Authorities Clash: Open Space vs Art Space in Beijing
Julie M. Segraves. Commentary: Artists and Authorities Clash: Open Space vs Art Space in Beijing