Professor works with the Getty on exhibition of Buddhist cave art
Peter Sellars, a director of opera, theatre and film, is renowned worldwide for his innovative treatments of classical material from western and non-western traditions, and for his commitment to exploring the role of the performing arts in contemporary society. Sellars teaches in the UCLA Arts department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance.
Peter Sellars traveled halfway across the globe to see the dusty caverns of the Mogao Grottoes near Dunhuang, China.
“It was so overwhelming. The caves are so amazing in the history of arts, and yet a cool thing about them, they’re also amazing in the history of Buddhism,” Sellars said. “The cave paintings had musicians and dancers and wild, mind-blowing stories of beautiful beings that are coming to the walls, magically involved in these super psychedelic transformations.”
Sellars, a world arts and cultures professor and a theatrical director known for his interpretations of classical and contemporary operas and plays, developed an interest in the Buddhist-influenced art illustrated on the walls of the Mogao Grottoes 25 years ago, and has been collecting shelves of literature on the cave art and sculptures ever since. He began collaborating with the Getty Center two years ago to organize an exhibit on the caves that will be on display this summer.
Tim Whalen, director of the Getty Conservation Institute, said the Mogao Grottoes were created over a span of a thousand years between 400 and 1400 A.D., and only 500 fully painted ones remain today. — Carol Yao, Apr. 22, 2016
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