I have only been fortunate enough in my lifetime to have traveled twice outside the US, both times to Italy. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I became fascinated by history and historical art and architecture. With the help of a friend who is a photographer for the Getty, I was able to go a few days ago specifically to see this exhibit. Seeing the replica of the Cave Temples of Dunhuang up close and personal was amazing. It actually reminded me a lot of Pompeii in Italy, though a great deal less tragic. The artwork, statues, paintings, relics, details, and gold were beautiful and slightly overwhelming. Each piece had such amazing detail and personality.
Art has always fascinated me. As a child I grew up with a father who was an artist and managed an art supply store, so I was fortunate to be around many creative and artistic people growing up. I have always had a special appreciation for artistic creation. The "artwork" in this exhibit was particularly interesting to me, as it also has historical relevance, religious importance, as well as a time and story all its own. Though the style and techniques of each varied culture and people on earth are always very telling of the time period and ways of life. I enjoyed seeing these aspects come to life in relation to many of the historical details we have learned through this coursework.
The art from the Cave Temples of Dunhuang are specific to the Mogao Grottoes and the Silk Road. The realistic artifacts and artwork displayed show the life of Buddhist monks, royalty, and religious implications of the time. I highly recommend to anyone who has the time and ability to visit this exhibit to go. The size, colors, and overall ambiance gave an amazing understanding into the life of the people, culture, history, traditions, and time period in which it all occurred The size of the statues and height of the "caves" far exceeded my personal expectations. It was a wonderful experience and gave me a much deeper understanding to the course and importance of learning about the history and impact East Asia has truly had on the world, not just in its own domain, but also in surrounding cultures.
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The Getty is a beautiful museum and I definitely don't visit it as much as I should. I would be very much interested in checking out the Cave Temples of Dunhuang exhibit. When you mentioned a few things being slightly overwhelming- I could relate to the gold factor because I've seen exhibits where the extreme amount of gold in a certain style or area of artwork seems a bit too extravagant or overwhelming for me. I will try to go to the Getty museum this summer and perhaps they will still have their summer music nights that I can take advantage of too