Buddhist Museum Collection of the KIH RAS: the Concept of Tradition in the Interdisciplinary Aspect of the Study

Abstract

Museum reconstruction of traditional Kalmyk culture contributed to the creation of an exhibition which brought together religious objects and artworks. The KIH RAS Buddhist collection has a form of museum publication: its character is reflected in approaches and features of Kalmykia’s cultural heritage exhibiting. By museum’s funds time and space of traditional culture were structured in qualitatively new exhibition content. The latter opens the possibilities for analyzing the traditions of art. Cultural concept of Buddhism art expresses the evolution of ethnic culture which is clearly demonstrated in collection’s exhibits. Expressive means of icon-painting and sculpture as a whole unit of diverse exhibits recreate a symbolic worldview. Having a mythopoeic archetype of tradition, works of late XIX - early XX century according to the canon reproduce a vertical structure of universe image. The synthesis of plastic arts (painting and sculpture) hierarchically identifies a number of characters in plane and volumetric expressiveness of altar composition. A diverse pantheon of scientists led by Shakyamuni Buddha is a Buddhist model of universe as a spiritual center of life of the Kalmyk ethnic group. The structural and functional analysis of religious works that illustrate principal ideas of the doctrine, the studies of Tibetan iconography are of particular importance being fundamentally significant for the Buddhist art perception by the Mongolian people. The experience of scientific museum collections cataloging and Northern Buddhism pantheon systematizing in the works of domestic and foreign researchers is equally important in this respect. Art is a way to set the laws of the historical process in the analysis and reconstruction of artistic image formed by such functions of traditions that contribute to ethnic differentiation and integration. Culture and art are interdependent in their historical development as traditions promote the continuity of cultural heritage.