Myers Lobby to Become Work Site for Tibetan Sand Artist

February 26, 2010

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Feb. 26, 2010) -- A Tibetan monk will create a traditional sand sculpture in the lobby gallery of Myers Fine Arts Building, SUNY Plattsburgh, the week of March 7.

The Ven. Dhondup Tsering, an ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk, who trained at the Gyuto Tantric University, India, will construct the sculpture, or mandala, bearing the image of Chenresig, the compassion Buddha. Work will take place over a four-day period, and the public is welcome to observe the progress of the mandala day by day.

An opening reception will be held Monday, March 8, from 4 to 5 p.m. with formal question-and-answer periods daily from 4 to 5 p.m. through March 10. The mandala will be consecrated Thursday, March 11, beginning at 12:30 p.m., after which it will be traditionally dismantled. A procession to the Saranac River, where the sand will be dispelled, will take place beginning at 2 p.m. that day.

The event is free and open to the public.

Schedule

Sunday, March 7

- Purification of Mandala Space – 9:30 a.m.-noon.
- Commencement of Sand Mandala Construction – noon. Short talk by Tsering about sand mandala

Monday, March 8

- Question and Answer Session and Demonstration Period – 4-5 p.m. Open reception at Myers Lobby Gallery. All are invited.

Tuesday, March 9-Wednesday March 10

- Question and Answer Sessions and Demonstration Period – 4 p.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Thursday, March 11

- Consecration of Mandala – 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tsering will consecrate the mandala and give a brief talk to explain the proceedings. Guests are welcome to attend/participate and/or view the mandala prior to dismantling.

- Dismantling Ceremony and Procession to the Saranac River – 1:30-2 p.m. Guests are welcome to be present for this important ceremony. Those interested may receive a small amount of the consecrated sand from the painting. Tsering will dismantle the mandala and sweep it into a receptacle.

- Procession to the Saranac River – 2-2:30 p.m. Guests are invited to join the procession to the river, where Tsering will disperse the consecrated sand into the river.