| THE RIVERSIDE MUSEUM COLLECTION OF TIBETAN ART -- 6 (END) Different paintings may concentrate in specific limitations of fields of power, seeming less total than others of more elaborate construction. But any genuine representation has the totality in any of its parts. In this fashion, observers are able to deal with works of art as "weaker" machines before they face further impossibly strong ones. Lesser elements of the most powerful structures often refer to the total events at the center of lower intensity paintings. When there is a progression to extremely dense works it becomes less esoteric and easier to grasp. The painters are assuming the occurrence of previous experiences before the exposure to a universe of "machines." There it becomes a tremendous thing which operates in many directions and dimensions. It stamps and grinds, melts and bites, molds and scores, and hammers and joins. It destroys and it purifies the old image without changing whatever was "real." The noise, smoke, and screaming is intense. It frightens some people. However, these are only representations of our own illusions of the functions we would put to use and have operate on ourselves. See only that they exist on the cloth of the mind, where everything is anyway. The flowing grass-like appearance of Tibetan music notation will help us understand that the paintings can be read. The colors read simultaneously as "words" and "states." These words carry an invocatory process. Thus if a painting is labeled in various parts this is especially valuable and useful. Mingling sound and light, you "see the sound." It goes further, for we get colors as syllable, syllables as words, words as numbers, and numbers as sequential positioning in an "eye-traced" diagram, which works best unseen. Paintings then become "unseen" tools. The transposition of a vision, and the past circumstances of viewing, involves all the senses with the art, and reverses their natural order. With these works, restrain the hindering senses and shake them in the wind, the air. Transpose them, put them on as flayed elephant skin, tiger skin and wear them to the next events that you forecast. The nature of Buddhism in Tibet is severe and harsh. It is to be practiced by people of virya (strong-active) nature. In the Kali age only virya can succeed. So, in the approach to these works, conceive of self as earth, form, color, light, air, sound in ether, thought, and intellect in all creatures. Then cast these off. Act as the sum of all conscious. That is the "large boat." To look in a lightning (vajra) and thunder strewn approach is to discover the manipulations of the real. After assuming identification with the "inside" forces, the resulting question is one of control of the direction of these operations. This is up to each person. Liberty (moksha) is for you. The fruit of this purpose is action and the fruit of action is yours. Whatever you wish, get whatever you wish. It is up to you. You change things by riding on the wind. Throw your whole awareness on a draft of wind. Nothing is impossible if you do it by play. The air will support you. This is due to the thinking behind it, which is limitless form itself. This spreads out -- akin to water spreading out -- enlarging and enlarging. This is a characteristic of that art belonging to a tradition which is written and non-written. Tibet and the world have been vanishing all along. In this art we watch pure abstractions that seem to be figures, but they turn and enter us to take other forms. We watch explosions of those cognate erections (stupas) come into being and these forces shake us as we discover that the layer of ego is very thin. We are exposed in a fiery flux, on the edge of the events of moment to moment, "vanishing" as we clutch at them "vanishing." The idiotic laughter of the Kali age is all around us with roaring flames swallowing countries. We share the extinction the Tibetans face. It would be a mistake to ignore their sometimes puzzling accomplishments, for until now they have survived with laughter and joy. Through their art we can gain benefit and if we turn dusty skins inside out, we will discover strong joyous ones that use belief as language, reality as metaphor, and laugh in the shadow of the illusion of inevitable darkness. Then we can help others in the face of avalanches of the spirit and the crumbling of ego-worlds underfoot. Let these works suck in your senses and blow the dust from their mirrors. It will be like death and birth. The world will be strange and unbelievably understandable. This is where this art takes us. TOP-PAR GYUR-CHIK (Let it be obtained.) John Brzostoski Riverside Museum New York City ©1963 |
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 Aum Mani Padme Hum
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