The Calcutta-born artist (Ansuman Biswas) has been picked to spend 40 days and 40 nights in a tiny room at the top of Manchester Museum, looking over the city. Surrounding him will be 4.5 million artefacts, treasures the museum has collected over time.
The 43-year-old will contemplate things “lost” and the impact of extinction. Currently living in London, Mr Biswas will uproot his life to exist in the ivory tower from 27 June until 5 August.
His only communication with the outside world will be through his internet blog as he details what life is like in seclusion.
And as if this were not enough excitement for those of you Buddhists living in or near London…there is also an opportunity to take in The Many Faces of Buddhism which culminates with the International Buddhist Film Festival (May 7th – 17th at the Barbican).
Miles who is a regular blog reader and congregation member was here on Sunday for the Festival Ceremony. He reminded me of a comment he’d left in January with links to a three part series of short films. Here is his comment and links to the films.
Hope you are well and are having a good winter retreat.
I stumbled upon these films whilst browsing the net – a short but rather beautifully filmed three part documentary on Sojiji in 1959, just a few years before Rev. Master Jiyu arrived there.
There’s an unusual and probably very much of-its-day shot of all the novice monks sitting around smoking together – and some very impressive ceremonial.
Thanks Miles for the links. And thank you to what ever good fortune and good luck and hard work and patience that has me connected to the internet at Throssel at a brisk 54.0 Mbps.
People started gathering at the Lighthouse Missionary Baptist Church in south western Kentucky before sunrise. It was the first Friday in December, 23 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 Celsius) at dawn and nearly windless. Everyone was looking up.
The Wood Buffalo National Park Alberta Canada, is immediately north of the oil sands mining operation referred to in this posting yesterday. This park is the only known nesting site of the whooping crane, bless ’em. It’s pure coincidence that these two stories, decimation of the land and saving a species through human intervention, follow on one another here.
Thanks to Jack for sending the link to the article. As he said in his email It is really a joy for me to see when we, as humans, are involved in helping our fellows on this planet. Especially after we have done some unwise things that have caused problems.
OK everybody, Look Up!
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
