Modern Buddhist Master and Artist: Shinjo Ito

The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito, which features over one hundred pieces of Buddhist and secular sculpture, engravings, calligraphy, drawings, photography, audio-video installations and other artifacts, will be on view at New York’s Milk Gallery until March 30, 2008. The exhibition will then travel to Chicago (April 8 – May 1, press preview on April 7) and Los Angeles (May 8 – “ June 29, press preview on May 7).

Shinjo Ito created extraordinary art objects that are, at the same time, powerful meditative tools. The exhibition’s centerpiece and most inspiring image is the Great Parinirvana Image, a sculpture of a reclining Buddha about to enter nirvana at the end of his life. Completed in just three months in 1957 with the combined efforts of Shinjo Ito and his congregation, it is the artist’s first major sculpture and his largest work of art at 16 feet long.

Other sculpture on exhibit reflects Shinjo Ito’s personal sense of Buddhism as well as his interest in Greek sculpture and aesthetics: In addition to the devotional works, The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito includes a number of busts of the artist’s family members, friends and of senior priests of the order. Prominent among them are the portrait sculptures of the artist’s two sons, both of whom died at an early age. In Shinjo Ito’s own words: “What I seek to create is not just the physical form of a Buddha figure. My purpose for sculpting them is to inspire and motivate everyone to grow spiritually.”

For more information visit www.shinjoito.com