Fit to Fight

Brian Butler, Matt Giuffre, Thom May, Fionn McCabe, and Kendra Plumely

Sunday, November 6 - Thursday, December 1, 2005

Central Gallery   
Free and open to the public

Fit to Fight is a production of Aswam Valley. Aswam Valley is an artists collaboration, founded in 2005 by Thom May (pihakwa.com), and Fionn McCabe (spoonboygraphics.com), and has since expanded to include other young artists from Boston and its surrounding areas, including the following individuals-Kendra Plumely, Matt Giuffre, and Brian Butler. The work of Aswam Valley combines wry humor with a thorough understanding of the art of the graphic novel. Influences include Ashley Wood and the British graffiti artist Banksy. "Fit to Fight" is a collection of new works in a variety of media that reflect a fresh take on issues of concern in the current art scene. The show is curated by Sarah Fortini, an Art History major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

 

Arya Tara: Sand Mandala

Drepung Loseling Monks presented by the Mystical Arts of Tibet

Monday, November 14 - Thursday, November 17, 2005

University Museum of Contemporary Art at the Fine Arts Center   
Free and open to public

Highlighting Tibetan arts and culture through a series of special events. "A universal expression of human subconscious...It transports you." From all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, that of painting with colored sand ranks as one of the most unique and exquisit. In Tibetan this art is called dul-tson-kyil-khor, with literally means "mandala of colored powders". Millions of grans of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days, sometimes even weeks. Formed of a traditional prescribed iconography that includes geometric shapes and a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols, the sand-painted mandala is used as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants. All over the world, record numbers of people have watched in awe as the monks lay down millions of grains of sand to create healing Mandala paintings. Education Outreach: Workshops for Public School students will be held in the FAC Atrium Lobby November 14-17

 

Associated Events

Sand Mandala Activities for School Children

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 University Museum of Contemporary Art

by reservation,

 

Sand Mandala Activities for School Children

Wednesday, November 16, 2005 University Museum of Contemporary Art

by reservation,

 

Sand Mandala Activities for School Children

Thursday, November 17, 2005 University Museum of Contemporary Art

by reservation,

 

Sand Mandala Closing Ceremony

Thursday, November 17, 2005 University Arts Gallery at the Fine Arts Center
Most mandalas are destroyed shortly after their completion. This is done as a metaphor of the impermanence of life. In a colorful ceremony with gongs, trumpets and chanted prayers the sands are swept up and placed in an urn to carry to a body of water where they are poured into the waters to fulfill the act of healing. The waters then carry the sand blessings all over the world, for planetary healing.
Free and open to public,4:30 pm