Luminous
Buddha

April 3-9, 2008
buzz@boulderweekly.com

Images of Buddha
Naropa University’s Deborah Bowman combines art, research and spirituality in her new exhibits
by Barbara Byrnes-LenarcicThe pain of difficult times can sometimes be softened by sinking into silence. Still, in a world whirling with turmoil, connecting with calm may seem elusive. Deborah Bowman’s images of the Buddha offer viewers a way into inner stillness.

“Every little calm moment that we can have is beneficial, and then we have that energy to share with others,” said Bowman, who is a photographer, psychologist and professor at Naropa University.

The Luminous Buddha: Image and Word, a small book created by Bowman, pairs her photographs with sayings of the Buddha from a collection known as the Dhammapada. Bowman selected the quotes after reading 14 English translations of the Dhammapada by authors from around the world.

When Bowman traveled to Southeast Asia with her husband in December 2006, a photography exhibit and book project were not on her mind. Bowman’s intention was to visit the temples and photograph the lovely statues. The quality of the 1,600 photographs taken during the trip inspired Bowman, who is a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, to share her discoveries by self-publishing a book and showing her images at Naropa and the Shambhala Meditation Center.

“Nothing stimulates the brain more strongly than a human face,” said Bowman. “But I don’t want people to attach to an image. The Buddha images are there to serve us and help us find the qualities within ourselves.”

Luminous Buddha: Photography of Laos contains 16 photographs in simple gold frames. The exhibit starts at the back of Lincoln Gallery to the right of the stairs. The smell of incense from Naropa’s nearby meditation hall drifts into the space.

“Luminous Buddhas #1,” the image featured on the front cover of Bowman’s book, opens the exhibit with a side view of 11 statues of Buddha. Three of the Buddhas give off a golden glow. One Buddha is bathed in black. Bowman visited a temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, called Wat Wisunalat for five straight days hoping to capture the contrasting light on the statues through her digital camera lens. On the third day, the light, streaming in through windows not covered by glass, landed on an orange cloth draped over one of the Buddha figures for a golden, orange effect.

Over the centuries, Buddha statues have been used to teach Buddhism to people who cannot read. “Buddha’s Long Ears,” a portrait that highlights the Buddha’s ears, teaches viewers that the Buddha is a compassionate listener. Bowman moves from inside the temples to a natural setting in “Buddha in the Mist,” a photograph in gray, gold and green that shows a gold Buddha meditating in the lotus position on a stone platform in a lush, open space.

After photographing many statues in Luang Prabang, Bowman noticed that the facial features varied from statue to statue. During the Laotian Civil War that raged from 1962 through 1975, people from the countryside stored their statues in the Luang Prabang temples, since that area was safe from the bombing. That action resulted in a diverse, treasure-trove of sculptures in that region.

In Thailand, Bowman noticed that the statues and spiritual sites appeared to be better maintained than in Laos and that there were more outdoor temples to visit.

Luminous Buddha: Photography of Thailand features 12 photographs that wind around the main floor of the Shambhala Meditation Center.

“Kuan Yin,” a female image of compassion and loving kindness in Buddhism, is a facial shot of a tan, stone sculpture. Long earrings hang from Kuan Yin’s large ears. Her lips have a hint of red. Her face is calm. In Bowman’s book, the saying paired with Kuan Yin reads, “As the deep pond is clear and calm, so do the skilled become serene, having heard the teachings.”

Bowman discovered “Buddha under the Trees” at the Sukhothai Historical Park in north central Thailand. The park contains a complex of temples dating from the 1500s. The gold-and-green, serene Buddha sits in the lotus position on a red brick platform. Green tree branches frame the figure that is backed by blue sky. Nature and spirituality converge in Bowman’s thoughtful photograph.

“Blue Sky Buddha” is a black-and-white facial image of the Buddha against a brilliant violet-blue sky. Both strong and serene, the image is powerful with its contrasting color and message.

A temple called Wat Pho in Bangkok is the setting for “Reclining Buddha,” a lovely red-and-gold image of the Buddha’s head resting on a glowing red bar. The temple’s patterned walls surround the image. “Be delighters in awareness; keep watch over your mind” is the saying Bowman chose for this image.

Bowman’s images of the Buddha are tranquil reminders that peace is possible and that the place to cultivate calm is within oneself.

On the Bill:
Luminous Buddha: Photography of Laos is on display through May 11 at Naropa University’s Lincoln Gallery, 2130 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-444-0202.

Luminous Buddha: Photography of Thailand is on display through April 30 at the Shambhala Center, 1345 Spruce St., Boulder, 303-543-0009.

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