Kerry Lucinda Brown

[Follow link to Online Article]
https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/essays/goddess-of-prosperity-vasudhara/

Throughout the Himalayas, the accumulation of material wealth has been important to the survival of spiritual and ritual practice. Art historian Kerry Lucinda Brown explores the importance and iconography of the goddess of prosperity Vasudhara, who is worshiped by the Nepalese to ensure agricultural fertility, financial success, and spiritual benefit, and this form’s special association with rice cultivation, one of the primary sources of wealth in the Kathmandu Valley.

Kerry Lucinda Brown, “Goddess of Prosperity, Vasudhara: Material and Spiritual Abundance in the Kathmandu Valley,” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, http://rubinmuseum.org/projecthimalayanart/essays/goddess-of-prosperity-vasudhara.

Indic religions often emphasize the spiritual energy (shakti) of female deities, whether wrathful or benign. Art historian Kerry Lucinda Brown introduces this dynamic bronze sculpture of a powerful tantric goddess Siddhi Lakshmi. She is associated with other Indic goddesses, Mahadevi and Kali. Rival kings in city-states of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bakhtapur used to worship her in secret and both Hindus and Buddhists celebrate her public images at shrines and festivals.

Kerry Lucinda Brown, “Siddhi Lakshmi (Purnachandi): The Goddess of Miraculous Power,” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, http://rubinmuseum.org/projecthimalayanart/essays/siddhi-lakshmi-purnachandi.

[Follow Link to Online Article with additional media and features]
https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/essays/siddhi-lakshmi-purnachandi/

[Follow Link to Online Article]
https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/essays/central-shrine-image-of-kwa-baha-hiranyavarna-mahavihar/

Art historian Kerry Lucinda Brown explores the history of one the most important monasteries in the Kathmandu Valley through an image of the Buddha layered in history. Chronicles assert the statue came to King Bhaskara Deva in a dream and requested a space be built for its veneration. Stories about the image provide insight into the significance of sacred space, the agency of religious imagery, and demonstrates that they have an active living history that evolves, reaffirming cultural identity with each generation.

Kerry Lucinda Brown, “Central Shrine Image of Kwa Baha (Hiranyavarna Mahavihar): In the Presence of the Buddha,” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, http://rubinmuseum.org/projecthimalayanart/essays/central-shrine-image-of-kwa-baha-hiranyavarna-mahavihar.

Buddhism and Hinduism have flourished side-by-side in the Kathmandu Valley. Art historian Kerry Brown examines this gilt-copper depiction of the Hindu god Vishnu riding the winged Garuda, which was created as a cover for a stone sculpture. Such images allowed Nepalese kings to identify themselves with the Hindu gods as symbols of divine kingship and ritual authority, and Buddhists in Tibet would replicate these symbolic compositions for centuries to come.

Kerry Lucinda Brown, “Vishnu Riding on Garuda: Divine Kingship in Nepal Mandala,” Project Himalayan Art, Rubin Museum of Art, 2023, https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/essays/vishnu-riding-on-garuda/.

[Follow Link to Online Article for additional media and interactive resources]
https://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/essays/vishnu-riding-on-garuda/

Membership in Newar Buddhist monasteries includes individuals from the Vajrācārya and Śākya castes who serve as Tantric Buddhist householder monks. Of this population, the ten eldest members of each monastery are known as the Daśa Sthavira Ājus (Ten Elders of the Highest Esteem). Because of their position, these Ājus are the ritual specialists for their communities and serve as exemplars of the monastic ideal in Newar society. This paper explores the ways in which Newar Buddhists at the Kwā Bahā monastic complex in Patan, Nepal, utilize ceremonial dress to reinforce their Buddhist identity and publicly reaffirm their ancient Buddhist heritage in Nepal. This study, the first to analyze the Ājus’ ceremonial regalia, provides an analysis of the garments, headdresses, and ornaments worn by these figures to explain the ways in which dress embeds Buddhist iconographic symbolism into Newar visual culture. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that the ritual veneration of the Ājus gives their regalia agency, reinforcing their public, ritual role as living embodiments of buddhahood. [PDF of article available in link]

Pilgrimage and Faith: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam explores pilgrimage as experienced in Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim faith communities. It addresses shared goals of personal development and communal solidarity as deep human needs. Unique in scope, this richly illustrated catalogue addresses religious diversity in a global perspective.

Dating from the 12th century to the present day, ninety-five historical objects and mementos of present-day pilgrimages are beautifully presented in their context with a collection of essays by leading international scholars. Fine examples include sculptures in wood and limestone from France and copper and bronze from Tibet, a pilgrimage itinerary book from Japan, stained glass from the Middle Ages, a Renaissance enameled chalice from Italy, a lavish embellished Quran from Iran, and Islamic prayer scrolls in silver amulet casings. By studying objects of supreme artistic skill along with mass-produced objects and personal acquisitions such as stones or soil from the holy place, the scholars shed new light on the continuity of pilgrimage and faith – the past and the present and the motivations and experiences of persons of all social strata.

The exhibition starts at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester MA, then travels to the Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, the University of Richmond Art Museums, Richmond, VA, and finally the Rubin Museum of Art, New York City. This accompanying catalogue offers unique contributions that combine both general and specialist appeal – an important addition to any private and public library.

Edited by: Virginia C. Raguin, Dina Bangdel, with Francis E. Peters

Contributors include: Najah Bazzy, Martin Brauen, Kerry Lucinda Brown, Megan Foster-Campbell, Edward Holgate, Krisadawan Hongladarom, Paula Gerson, Oleg Grabar, Toni Huber, Susan L. Huntington, Mitzi Kirkland-Ives, Jennifer M. Lee, Amanda Luyster, Alexander J. McNair, Anisa Mehdi, Mika Natif, David M. Perry, Kathryn M. Rudy, and Elizabeth ten Grotenhuis

Every four years, in the middle of a cold winter night, devotees bearing images of 126 Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other important deities assemble in the Nepalese city of Patan for an elaborate gift giving festival known as Samyak Mahādāna (“The Perfect Great Gift”). Celebrated by Nepal’s Newar Buddhist community, Samyak honors one of the Buddhas of the historical past called Dīpaṅkara. Dīpaṅkara’s importance in Buddhism is rooted in ancient textual and visual narratives that promote the cultivation of generosity through religious acts of giving (Skt. dāna). During Samyak, large images of Dīpaṅkara Buddha ceremoniously walk in procession to the event site, aided by a man who climbs inside the wooden body to assume the legs of the Buddha. Once arranged at the event, Dīpaṅkara is honored with an array of offerings until dusk the following day.

This dissertation investigates how Newar Buddhists utilize art and ritual at Samyak to reenact and reinforce ancient Buddhist narratives in their contemporary lives. The study combines art historical methods of iconographic analysis with a contextual study of the ritual components of the Samyak Mahādāna to analyze the ways religious spectacle embeds core Buddhist values within in the multilayered components of art, ritual, and communal performance. Principally, Samyak reaffirms the foundational Buddhist belief in the cultivation of generosity (Skt. dāna pāramitā) through meritorious acts of giving (Skt. dāna). However, the synergy of image and ritual performance at Samyak provides a critical framework to examine the artistic, religious, and ritual continuities of past and present in the Newar Buddhist community of the Kathmandu Valley. An analysis of the underlying meta-narrative and conceptualization of Samyak suggests the construction of a dynamic visual narrative associated with sacred space, ritual cosmology, and religious authority. Moreover, this dissertation demonstrates the role of Samyak Mahādāna in constructing Buddhist identity in Nepal, as the festival provides an opportunity to examine how Newar Buddhists utilize art, ritual, and performance to reaffirm their ancient Buddhist heritage.

Supervisor: Dr. Dina Bangdel

A review of this work by Aurora Graldi can be found on Dissertation Reviews: http://dissertationreviews.org/archives/13691

This study explores the contextualization of the visual imagery associated with Dipankara Buddha in Nepal. As revealed in the early Mahayana text, the Mahavastu Avadana, Dipankara's importance in Buddhism is as the predictor of Sakyamuni's enlightenment, when the Buddha-to-Be Sakyamuni was born a young brahman named Megha in a previous lifetime. Because of Megha's gift of alms, Dipankara predicts that this young brahman will one day attain enlightenment as Sakyamuni. This study suggests that in Nepal, it is the reenactment of gift-giving and the receiving of the prediction of enlightenment by Dipankara that is the major driving force in the Newar community.

This study has two major objectives. First, I establish the iconographic components of Dipankara Buddha in regards to his visual and textual narrative in the Kathmandu Valley. I discuss the iconographic continuity with his representations in the greater Bactro-Gandharan region to reinforce the unique Newar features. Second, I provide an analysis of the multivalent understanding of Dipankara's role in Newar Buddhism through a localized narrative, illustrated on a scroll painting at Guita Bahi in the city of Patan.

My research uncovers the multivalent role of Dipankara Buddha in Newar Buddhism. The symbolism inherent in the iconographic components of Dipankara imagery in Nepal relates to his role as the bestower of a fortunate rebirth. This is reiterated by his veneration at two gift-giving festivals in the Kathmandu Valley, Pancadana and Samyak. Moreover, the themes inherent in the localized narrative of the Kapisavadana reveal the socio-religious significance of Dipankara. While providing the lay community a more fortunate rebirth through his veneration, his worship reaffirms the traditional role of the Buddhist monastic community.  Furthermore, this analysis further clarifies the unique features of Newar Buddhism by revealing cultural continuities within the Buddhist traditions of the Kathmandu Valley.

Supervisor: Dr. John C. Huntington

Link to YouTube Recording of conversation: https://youtu.be/appU2KXgIJg?si=Dr0YYsPK-pvpng6r
On the eastern bank of the Tigris lay the remains of Nineveh, the opulent capital city of one of the ancient world’s most powerful empires: Assyria. Through centuries of research and excavations by dedicated archaeologists and historians, our knowledge of the Assyrian peoples, their rulers, culture, and conquests gifts us a view of our ancient past. Join SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace and SCAD professor of art history Kerry Brown, Ph.D., and gaze into the luxurious royal domains of Nineveh with “The Garden Party.”

Through SCADclass, the preeminent faculty of the Savannah College of Art and Design share their passion and knowledge with the world of curious creators. Conversations are moderated by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace inside the historic Lucas Theatre for the Arts in downtown Savannah, Ga.

Link to YouTube Recording of talk: https://youtu.be/MeeonBp9SLE
Throughout recent developments in India's political and cultural history, issues of industrialization, globalization, and social mobility have challenged definitions of identity. Contemporary artists working in India and abroad have attempted to navigate these changes, exploring both individual and collective responses to identity in their work. This lecture examines how Indian artists have utilized iconic cultural imagery to both challenge and confront these issues in contemporary society.

Dr. Kerry Lucinda Brown is a specialist in South Asian and Himalayan art and a professor of art history at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Her research focuses on the art and architecture of Nepal, addressing issues of image veneration, pilgrimage, sacred landscapes, and ritual performance. Brown has traveled throughout South Asia and the Himalayas since 1999 and has received numerous grants to conduct research in the region, including a Fulbright fellowship to Nepal. She has lectured widely on South Asian visual culture and frequently collaborates with museums on educational programming related to Asian art and culture.

This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

In the video, “Utilizing Visual Materials – The Importance of Close Looking,” Dr. Kerry Lucinda Brown explains how to use close-looking strategies in the classroom to help students study, analyze, and discuss objects of Himalayan culture. This video is a useful primer on how to introduce the materials in Project Himalayan Art into your classroom.

Along with the video, you can download the following materials to help you incorporate Dr. Brown’s strategies into your teaching practice: PowerPoint Slides,  Direct Observation Class Handout, and Video Transcript.

Link to tour recordings:http://tours.columbiamuseum.org/tour/zGK7xjfYgxXNRnBXm

I was engaged by the Columbia Museum of Art to provide discussions on five works of art for the Multimedia TAP Tour of the exhibition, Visions from India: 21st-century Art from the Pizzuti Collection at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina from October 17, 2020 – January 10, 2021. The TAP multimedia tour features in-depth discussions with experts from both inside and outside the art world.

Works Discussed: 104 | Avinash Veeraraghavan, Fracture 3, 2016; 105 | Mithu Sen, Bahai Peacock, 2006; 106 | Anju Doditya, The Clown Prince, 2008; 108 | KP Reji, To Move the Mountain, 2008; 109 | Subodh Gupta, Untitled (Sushi Conveyor Belt), 2008.

Dr. Kerry Lucinda Brown is a professor of art history at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah Georgia and has a research focus on the religious arts of the Newar community of Nepal. In this episode we speak with Kerry about how she teaches Asian and Buddhist art topics in her context: that is, to students in a design college for whom the materials may be new and distant. Teaching Asian and Buddhist arts and their long and complex histories can be complicated, but Kerry finds tangible ways to make the experience of her courses unforgettable for students. From visiting local religious sites, to scheduling collaborative review sessions with her students after their final exam, Kerry shares the breadth and depth of Asian religious art, and her infectious enthusiasm for a form  of teaching that is like sports coaching with her students. Fail! Practice! Repeat!

http://teachingbuddhism.net/episode-11-teaching-asian-art-as-storytelling-with-kerry-brown/

Host and Interviewer: Dr. Sarah Richardson
Creative Director: Dr. Betsy Moss
Director of the Ho Centre for Buddhist Studies and Consulting Producer: Dr. Frances Garrett
Consulting Producers: Anna-Liza Kozma and Jelena Jurak
Show Notes: Molly Mignault
Transcripts: Sam Keravica