The University of Mary Washington Galleries will host the exhibit “Beyond the Silk Road: Asian Art from the Permanent Collection” from Friday, March 11 through Friday, April 22 at the Ridderhof Martin Gallery.
An opening reception and preview will be held Thursday, March 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the gallery. Admission to the reception and the exhibit is free.
“Beyond the Silk Road” showcases works from the 8th through the 20th centuries from the collection of the late Kurt F. Leidecker, a Mary Washington professor of philosophy.
Encompassing two- and three-dimensional pieces from China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam, the exhibition illustrates the spread and influence of Buddhism throughout Asia after the height of trading along the Silk Road. Just as the famed trade route connecting Asia with Europe and Africa facilitated commerce, the Silk Road enabled the spread of Buddhism beginning around the third century B.C. as missionaries and pilgrims started traveling between China, Central Asia and India.
Most pieces in “Beyond the Silk Road” were produced after the Silk Road’s 14th-century demise. But the works exemplify the continued devotion to Buddha and his teachings, and they represent traditional Buddhist art and its objective to enlighten.
A Chinese porcelain "Buddha" from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) shows him in a meditative state holding lotus flowers, symbolizing divine birth. The "Reclining Buddha" (1871) from Northern Thailand depicts Buddha entering Nirvana, a state of being free from suffering. The "Standing Buddha" (20th century) from Northern Thailand, includes a poem inscribed on the base, explaining the evils of drunkenness—one of the Five Precepts of Buddhism.
The exhibit includes silk paintings that reproduce paintings in Thailand’s Buddhist grottoes, terra cotta votives found in Buddhist temples, and Hindu statues and paintings highlighting the similarities and differences between the two belief systems.
The Ridderhof Martin gallery is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Located on College Avenue at Seacobeck Street, the gallery has free visitor parking designated in the lot on College Avenue at Thornton Street. For more information, call (540) 654-1013 or visit www.umw.edu/galleries.