World Art Day: What’s the Purpose of Art?

April 15 is World Art Day. People all over the world take the time to celebrate creativity and the arts in all of its forms. Art is created for many reasons, varying greatly between different time periods and geographic regions. Just think of all the ways art plays a role in your life. Much of the Himalayan art in the Rubin Museum’s collection was created for specific purposes, far beyond the aesthetic appeal of an object.

Art is fundamental to the religious traditions of the Himalayas. Many of the artworks in the Rubin’s collection either depict rituals or were made to be used in rituals themselves. One such item is the purba, which in Vajrayana Buddhism is a three-sided ritual dagger that can be used to subdue demons and malignant spirits. In addition to ridding you of a demon problem, the _purba _also acts as an important meditation tool in particular practices. It represents a pinning to the earth—providing a sense of stability for one’s spiritual practice. Below is a detail of a thankga, or Tibetan hanging scroll, depicting the ritual use of the purba.

Along with ritual use, art is often commissioned for more worldly purposes. The sculpture above depicts the deity Black Jambhala, who is worshiped to gain material wealth. He holds in his right hand a jewel-spitting mongoose, a symbol of wealth originating from Central Asia. While it may seem antithetical for Buddhists to pray for worldly, material things such as wealth, health, and comfort, this is not seen as a contradiction in Himalayan cultures. In actuality, having wealth and longevity can benefit Buddhist practice by providing the leisure and time necessary to follow an intensive spiritual pursuit.

Much of the art in the Rubin’s collection was made for the purpose of accruing merit, or what some might call “good karma.” By commissioning or creating a piece of art, Buddhists receive merit in return, which helps to ensure a positive future rebirth. Merit alone, however, won’t guarantee enlightenment, but it will help practitioners stay in contact with Buddhist teachings throughout their lifetimes until they finally achieve enlightenment. Worshiping these pieces also accrues positive merit. For example, one of the most common ways to accumulate merit is by circumambulating clockwise around holy buildings or structures like the reliquary stupa shown above.