Pilgrimage to the Spiral Jetty (Talk on Arts/Buddhism)

Fri, Sep 16
7:00pm-8:30pm
Free

Modern art - especially that produced in the 1960s and 70s - has a
certain abstract and 'difficult' character, lacking as it does any
narrative or indeed figurative aspects. Robert Smithson's "Spiral
Jetty" for example has a certain obtuse but mythic quality to it; it
seems almost future-oriented - an object or situation for a people-
yet-to-come. For us this gives the Jetty a Dharmic quality - it draws
out something from within us - perhaps the possibility of a different
way of responding to the world?

Certainly a Western Buddhism needs these new forms - these new
'diagrams' for life - forms that speak to us as subjects of
modernity. In this talk we will be attempting to address why
Smithson's work is so compelling - why two friends planned a kind of
pilgrimage to see the Spiral Jetty in particular - and what they
hoped the trip might achieve.

Wheel chair accessible.

Venue:

San Francisco Buddhist Center/Blue Buddha Arts
37 Bartlett Street @ 21st/Valencia
San Francisco
415-282-2018
http://www.sfbuddhistcenter.org/

Located in San Francisco's Mission district between 21st and 22nd
streets, between Valencia and Mission streets.
The 24th Street BART station is 2 blocks away. The 26 Valencia, 14
Mission, and 49 Van Ness buses stop nearby. Low cost parking garage
across street.

driving directions:
http://www.sfbuddhistcenter.org/directions.htm

Additional Info:

415-282-2018
http://www.sfbuddhistcenter.org/calendar.htm