Stolid Buddha (1997) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
At first, this wonky, paint-splattered statue doesn't seem like much. But given time, it reveals itself to be an ingenious, if imperfect, image of the Buddha; his legs crossed, his arms folded, and his face staring right back at you.
This Buddha sculpture was made by Arlene Shechet, an American artist who was born in 1951 to Ashkenazi Jewish parents in Queens, New York, and who later came to embrace Buddhist meditation as part of her art practice.
Bold Buddha Still Time 16 (1994) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
She told BOMB magazine in 2010. "It came about when I was doing too many things at the same time—teaching, trying to have a studio practice, and having babies … I was basically inside some space all the time, but without a lot of personal, mental space."
For Shechet, creating these Buddhas was a personal affair, "I quietly grew a family of Buddhas without telling anybody. It was my private icon family." The time spent in the studio was time spent on her thoughts alone.
Vapor (2000) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
The bodies of Shechet's Buddhas are made from a synthetic plaster, a soft material that allows her to experiment with shape and mass. The layers of acrylic paint appear to be applied at random, another nod to the Buddhist principles of imperfection and transformation.
As she was working with wet plaster, she didn't have precise control over the soft, slippy material, and she had to work quickly - the plaster would dry in less than a minute. She says that this way of working forced her into a state of 'meditative consciousness'.
Still Time #14 (1994) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
The varying forms of Shechet's Buddhas reflect the variety of depictions of the Buddha that have emerged across lands and over millennia. From 18th-century Thailand to 1st-century Afghanistan, Buddhists recognise the Buddha in multitude forms and styles.
Buddha bhūmisparśamudrā (17th century AD - 18th century AD) by UnknownMuseo d'Arte Orientale
This lacquered and gilded bronze statue of the Buddha sitting in the padmāsana posture was made in 18th century Thailand. The Buddha is shown in a state of serenity. His body is proportioned according to artistic principles than nature.
Buddha (ca. 590) by ChineseThe Walters Art Museum
This 6th-century Chinese Buddha shows a more naturalistic image. The Buddha's clothes and hairstyle also resemble those of Chinese monks. Yet, his posture is still recognisably that of the Buddha.
Seated Buddha with Two Attendants (A.D. 82)Kimbell Art Museum
This Buddha was probably made in 1st century Mathura, India. This area is known for its history of sandstone artworks. Here, the Buddha is depicted as a Kushan yogi seated on a throne and attended to by two young male servants.
Votive stupa with base (1st century) by UnknownArt Gallery of New South Wales
This stupa is one of the more unusual representations of the Buddha. This particular one is small, but many are larger than buildings. The stupa predates Buddhism, but was adopted as a highly stylised, even abstract, image of the seated, meditating Buddha.
Elemental Buddha (1997) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
So, what makes a buddha a buddha? This is a central question of Buddhism, whose students may spend a lifetime trying to achieve enlightenment. Art historians and theorists ask the same question of art. What makes a painting, an object, or a pile of clay an artwork?
Moist Shift (1999) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
Buddhists sometimes describe the Buddha as a surface or a vessel on which one projects oneself. Art is sometimes talked of in the same terms. A pile of plaster and paint isn't just a pile of plaster; it's embodied work and memory and thought.
Torma (1999) by Arlene ShechetSaat Saath Arts
Shechet's statues may not be finely wrought gold. But they reflect the acceptance of simplicity, impermanence, and imperfection as taught by the Buddha.
