MELBOURNE.- From the tranquil smile of an enlightened icon to the widely recognisable laughing Buddha, nine iterations and cultural interpretations of Buddha from throughout Asia are being presented in Buddha’s Smile, on view in the Asian Art temporary exhibitions gallery at NGV International. The exhibition focuses on that silent yet powerful act of transmission of Buddhist philosophy. 

Spanning more than 1000 years, the exhibition presents Buddhist principles and Zen philosophy in a fresh context through a display of contemporary art and antiquities, including textiles, paintings, prints, devotional objects, sculptures and scripts from the NGV Collection. Buddha’s smile also features new and never-before-seen acquisitions, as well as select works from private collections. 

‘Buddha’s Smile offers a renewed perspective on the symbolic and diverse incarnations of Buddhist art throughout Asian history. This exhibition elucidates the various historical narratives of Buddhist philosophies in a contemporary presentation,’ said Tony Ellwood, Director, NGV. 

On entry to the exhibition, visitors are greeted by a large-scale contemporary photographic portrait of the Laughing Buddha by Chinese-Australian artist Liu Xiaoxian. Paired with a Qing dynasty miniature porcelain figurine of Budai the Laughing Buddha, this dramatic contrast in scale and era presents the popular Chinese Buddhist deity of wealth, happiness and good fortune in a new light. 

Japanese. Amida Buddha (Amida Nyorai), Heian period (12th century), lacquer, gold and pigment on Cypress (Hinoki), crystals, 118.5 x 36.1 cm (overall), National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased with funds donated by Allan Myers AO and Maria Myers AO, 2010 (2010.3).

The exhibition also explores the founder of Zen Buddhism and travelling monk Bodhidharma’s much fabled story, through a grouping of contemporary Korean ceramics, historical Qing dynasty porcelain, historical Japanese scrolls, and a recent acquisition of prominent Japanese artist Takashi Murakami’s print Daruma the Great. 

Buddha’s Smile explores other Buddhist incarnations including Jizo Bosatsu, who, akin to a modern day saint, was a spiritual incarnation of Buddha who looked after the souls of departed children; Amida Buddha, famous in Japan as Buddha of Limitless Life who presided over a heavenly paradise; and Guanyin, known as the one who hears sounds, who remains a popular image of worship in Chinese Buddhist temples.

Chinese. Guanyin, Jin dynasty (1115-1234), wood, pigments, 110.7 x 77.6 x 57.4 cm. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Felton Bequest, 1939, 4645-D3.

Japanese. Bodhisattva (12th century) (detail), (Sho-Kannon Bosatsu 聖観音菩薩), lacquer, gilt-Cypress (Hinoki), crystal, 172.0 x 60.0 x 50.0 cm (overall), National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased with funds donated by Allan Myers AO and Maria Myers AO, 2011, 2011.118.

Chinese. White robed Guanyin in a landscape (early 14th century) (detail), pigments, ink on silk, 115.3 x 56.2 cm (image and sheet), National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of the National Australia Bank Limited, Honorary Life Benefactor, 1997, 1997.94.

Japanese. Bodhidharma (16th century-17th century) (detail) (菩提達磨), pigment on silk, 88.3 x 38.2 cm (image and sheet), National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Gift of H. W. Kent, 1938, 3784-D3.

Chinese. Guanyin (17th century), porcelain, 25.3 x 14.6 x 9.3 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Gift of J. T. Hackett, 1924, 2592-D3.

Tibeto-Chinese. Avalokiteshvara (17th century-18th century), gilt-bronze, semi-precious stone, pigment, 115.0 x 72.5 x 45.4 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Felton Bequest, 1966, 1485-D5.

Tibetan. The life of Tsongkhapa (18th century), opaque watercolour and gold paint on cotton, 206.1 x 338.0 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Gift of the O. F. Semler family in memory of O. F. Semler, 1955, 1533A-D4.

Khmer. Ceremonial hanging and covering (19th century) (Pidan), silk, dyes (weft ikat), 99.5 x 144.5 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased, 2006, 2006.280.

Chinese. Buddha (late 19th century-early 20th century), porcelain, 13.0 x 13.9 x 11.7 cm,. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Bequest of Howard Spensley, 1939, 4327-D3.

Liu Xiaoxian (China/Australia), Our Gods, Laughing Buddha 2000. Digital (lamda) print on aluminum. Ed. 2/3, 300 x 300 x 2 cm (overall), (made up of 9 panels 100 x 100 x 0.2 cm each). Loan from artist (Sydney).

Tim JOHNSON, Imitating art 2005, synthetic polymer and metallic paint on canvas, (a-i) 183.2 x 592.3 cm (overall), National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Purchased with funds from the Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2005, 2005.425.a-i © Tim Johnson