“Remember That You Will Die” Contest Reading
…
Rubin Museum of Art
150 W. 17 St., NYC 10011
Friday, July 30, 2010
7:30-9:30 p.m. (cafe opens at 6)
Yes, you will die. But at least you can come to a reading about it.
Obit-Mag.com, Killing the Buddha, and the Rubin Museum collaborated on an essay contest inspired by the exhibition Remember That You Will Die: Death Across Cultures. We called on writers to stare down death in his gleaming eye, take his skeletal hand, and invite him to dance. The winning entries are by Andrew Marantz, Rebecca O. Johnson, Alane Mason, Gene Dulaney, Alison Wellner, and Sylvia Sukop, some of whom will be reading at the Rubin Museum’s K2 Lounge on Friday, July 30, 2010. The readings start at 7:30, and it’s free to attend. Come at 6 pm for food and beverages downstairs and then head up to the 6th floor galleries to check out the Remember You Will Die exhibition before the readings start on the 5th floor. Seating is limited, so be sure to come early.
Curated by Karl Debreczeny, Bonnie B. Lee, and Martin Brauen, the exhibition examines popular views of death and the afterlife in both the European Christian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Objects include paintings, sculptures, quotidian objects, and ritual items made from human remains. These provocative works of art are meant to startle viewers out of apathy, urge them to contemplate their mortality, and inspire them to use their short time on earth to secure a desirable place in the afterlife. It also includes a new work by the American artist Bill Viola.
Killing the Buddha is a literary magazine about religion for people made anxious by churches, people embarrassed to be caught in the “spirituality” section of a bookstore, people both hostile and drawn to talk of God.
Obit-Mag.com provides comprehensive coverage on how the loss of a person, a place, an object or an idea presents an opportunity for examination and discussion. Obit asks the question, “What defines an important life?”. It is a forum for ideas and opinions about life, death, and transition written by some of the most respected journalists in the American media.
The Rubin Museum of Art is a nonprofit cultural and educational institution dedicated to the art of the Himalayas. Its mission is to establish, present, preserve, and document a permanent collection that reflects the vitality, complexity, and historical significance of Himalayan art and to create exhibitions and programs designed to explore connections with other world cultures. RMA is committed to addressing a diverse audience—from connoisseurs and scholars to the general public and young children. Through its collection, exhibitions, and educational programs, RMA will become an international center for the preservation, study, and enjoyment of Himalayan art.
