Skidmore College - Scope Magazine Spring 2019

17 SKIDMORE COLLEGE In Tune With America Brittany Watts-Hendrixs ’20 and Destiny Donelson ’21 read poetry as part of the event “I, Too, Sing America” on race in Leonard Bernstein’s “Songfest” (1977). Being Good Citizens Hundreds of Skidmore students, faculty and staff took part in a lawn-sign exhibition outside the Tang. The exhibition was part of a national effort called For Freedoms that seeks to use art to deepen public discussions of civic issues and core values, and to clarify that citizenship in American society is defined by participation, not by ideology. Animated Talk Acclaimed cartoonist Chris Ware in conversation with E.B. Sciales ’19, who held the 2018-19 Eleanor Linder Winter ’43 Endowed Internship at the Tang and helped select Ware to speak on Feb. 28. Considering Culture Artist Renee Cox speaks with students in an Accelerator Series panel discussion on cultural appropriation. “The Second Buddha: Master of Time” at the Tang Teaching Museum brought to campus the story of the legendary eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava, who is credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet. The exhibition also brought artists, scholars, activists and musicians who, in public events, explored new ways of seeing and thinking about the Second Buddha and the an- cient sculpture, Tibetan scroll paintings, textiles and manuscripts on view in the museum. The events were organized in partnership with the Tang Teaching Museum by Benjamin Bogin, a scholar of Himalayan Buddhism, associate professor, director of Asian studies and Skidmore’s 2019 faculty scholar in residence, a program that is co-sponsored by the Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning and by the Office of the Dean of Special Programs. “This residency has been invaluable,” Bogin said. “The extraordinary visitors I was able to bring to campus helped bring the exhibition to life in diverse ways for students, faculty and community members. Beyond the direct benefit to my own research and teaching, these new connections and the enthusiasm for the exhibition have been deeply gratifying.” “The Second Buddha: Master of Time” was presented by the Rubin Museum of Art and the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College. The exhibition was curated by Rubin Museum Curator of Himalayan Art Elena Pakhoutova and organized for the Tang Museum by Assistant Director for Curatorial Affairs and Malloy Curator Rachel Seligman. — Michael Janairo The Second Buddha: Master of Time Christopher Massa and Tang contributed photos