Mark your calendars for the Mandala of Compassion program at The Hammer. Starting Sunday, September 27, four highly respected Tibetan Buddhist monks will be at the museum for a two week period making beautiful sand mandalas. The presence of the lamas is expected to be extremely popular, so it is wise to plan ahead (see below). They will be finished on October 12 and the mandala will disappear – as part of the Buddhist belief that life is transitory.
The monks, Venerable Gelong Kalsang Rinpoche, Venerable Lama Nawang Thogmed, Lama Nawang Samten Lhundrup, and Lama Dorji Sherpa, will sprinkle millions of grains of sand into a design that represents Chenrezig, the embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas combined. The creation of this mandala is intended to help the viewer generate boundless compassion for all beings. Please be respectful of these lamas when you come to watch them practice their art.
Click here to read more about the monks and the mandalas. There is a Hammer Kids program in conjunction with this exhibit on October 5, Close Encounters: Artful Acts of Compassion.
The public is invited to watch the Lamas create the mandala during the following hours:
Tue-Sat: 11AM-7PM
Sun: 11AM-5PM
Please be advised that the Lamas will take a break around 1PM each day.
WEEKDAY VISITS:
We encourage those interested in spending more time with the mandala to visit during the week when the museum is quieter. Tuesday through Friday, visitors will be welcomed into the space as capacity allows. Please be advised that at times visitors may be asked to wait in line if the gallery is already at capacity.
WEEKEND VISITS:
Because of the fragility of the sand mandala and in order to accommodate expected high visitor turnout on the weekends, a same-day timed ticketing procedure will be in place on Saturdays and Sundays. When you arrive at the museum, please proceed directly to the welcome desk to receive a timed-ticket (one ticket per visitor, tickets are available on-site only and may not be pre-reserved). With this ticket, you are guaranteed a quarter-hour window to experience the mandala up-close. A stand-by line will also be available for visitors who are unable to reserve tickets, please be advised entry cannot be guaranteed for stand-by visitors.
