Saint Mary’s to display photos from Tibet, sand mandala

Twenty-one photographs from the Tibet Image Bank, London will be on display Aug. 24 through Sept. 24 at Saint Mary’s University in conjunction with an artist-in-residency by the Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery.

The photo show, “Tibet: Magical Land of Spiritual Wonders” will be on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The Tibetan Monks will create a sand mandala from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17, through Friday, Sept. 21. In this sacred tradition, intricate and artistic designs are created from colored sand and then ritualistically destroyed to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the impermanent nature of material life. The public is also invited to participate in a community sand painting during this period.

An opening ceremony will begin at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 17 and a closing ceremony will begin at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 21. During the closing ceremony, the public is invited to join the Tibetan Monks in ceremoniously releasing the sand used from the mandala into Gilmore Creek. Events being held in the gallery are free and open to the public.

The Tibetan Monks will also present a public performance Thursday, Sept. 20, in Page Theatre. For more information, go to www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets are available online or at the Page Theatre Box office, Ext. 1715 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.