Exhibitions

‘The Lotus Effect,’ A Participatory Installation Conveying Gratitude and Compassion, Will Welcome Visitors When the Rubin Museum Reopens

By ArtFixDaily

Published on Aug 27, 20

The Rubin Museum's Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room. Photo by David De Armas Photography, Courtesy of the Rubin Museum of Art. — The Rubin Museum’s Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room. Photo by David De Armas Photography, Courtesy of the Rubin Museum of Art.

The Rubin Museum of Art in New York plans to reopen to the public on September 12. Visit the museum website for guidelines, updates and timed tickets.

A visitor highlight will be the new installation, The Lotus Effect, comprising folded lotuses submitted by the public as symbols of gratitude and compassion. The Rubin hopes to be an oasis during this difficult time. “We know that the art and ideas from our collection serve as a source of comfort for many during these uncertain times and that the Rubin provides a space for contemplation, calm, and connection to ourselves and others, which is very much needed right now,” says Executive Director Jorrit Britschgi.

The Rubin Museum of Art plans to reopen on Sept. 12. Photo by Ben Hider, Courtesy of the Rubin Museum of Art

When the Rubin reopens, visitors will be greeted by The Lotus Effect, a participatory installation led by artist Uttam Grandhi, featuring folded origami lotuses submitted by the public during the Rubin Museum’s temporary closure. In Tibetan Buddhism, the lotus is a sacred symbol associated with awakening, transformation, and compassion, and The Lotus Effect serves as a community-built symbol of gratitude for the people and things that help us get through difficult moments. In the galleries, visitors will find Shahidul Alam: Truth to Power, which has been extended through January 4, 2021; Measure Your Existence, extended through January 25, 2021; Shrine Room Projects: Shiva Ahmadi / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge / Tsherin Sherpa, extended through June 7, 2021; Charged with Buddha’s Blessings: Relics from an Ancient Stupa, extended through May 31, 2021; Treasures from the Zhiguan Museum, extended through November 9, 2020; and the permanent collection installations Masterworks of Himalayan Art and Gateway to Himalayan Art. The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room will also be open for visitors to experience, with a limited capacity of 2 people at a time for 10-minute allotments.

“The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room has been at the heart of the Rubin for many years and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to this meaningful space in a new way. Amidst all the changes in our world, visitors will have the opportunity to slow down and find some stillness,” says Chief Experience Officer Jamie Lawyer. “I am also thrilled to see The Lotus Effect installation come to life in the Museum. It’s been heartening to see our visitors’ expressions of gratitude and interconnectedness during this time apart.”