Dunhuang, an oasis city on the edge of the Gobi Desert and the western gateway to China, is the home of one of the world’s most esteemed art shrines and cultural heritage sites, the Mogao Caves. This exhibition addressed art and ritual practices of the Northern (420–589) and the Tang (618–907) dynasties, featuring excavated art works, high relief clay figures, wooden sculpture, silk banners, and molded bricks. A group of treasured Buddhist sutras from the famous Cangjingdong 藏经洞 (The Library Cave) illustrated the story behind Dunhuang’s historic discovery. To re-create the sensation of visiting the caves, the exhibition reconstructed a cave from the eighth century, which contained a beautiful Bodhisattva of the Mogao Caves and a central pillar from the sixth century.
This exhibition is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; and by the generous support of the Asian Cultural Council; Blakemore Foundation; the E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation; the Henry Luce Foundation; and China Institute Friends of the Gallery
