Open Letter to the co-founder of Rubin Museum of Art

Dear Shelly,

When you graciously stopped by the MET Museum yesterday and congratulated me with a warm hug for my newest installation, I felt like I had made two very special people in my life proud and happy – you and Donald Rubin. Your visit brought immense warmth and joy, and I found myself reflecting on the long and wonderful journey we’ve shared over the years.

As we spoke at length, my mind began to wander like a wind-horse galloping through memory lanes. I recalled many cherished moments from my earliest involvement with Donald Rubin and the Rubin Museum family. Each memory, still vivid, brings surges of joy to my heart.

It feels like yesterday when I was first introduced to you and Donald by Tim McHenry at the 2007 opening of “The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the 14th Dalai Lama” at the Rubin Museum of Art. This ground-breaking group exhibition brought together 80 artists from around the world to celebrate the Dalai Lama as a symbol of peace. Notable participating artists included Lobsang Gyatso, Chuck Close, Bill Viola, Anish Kapoor, Laura Anderson, Marina Abramovic, Christo, and many others. If I am not mistaken, I was the youngest artist in the group. I felt humbled, cared and loved by all the senior artists that I met during the exhibition.

Despite initial backlash from the Chinese consulate, the exhibition received widespread acclaim from the public and critics. I was just 25 years old at the time and the warmth of your handshake and Donald’s radiant smile left an indelible mark on my memory.

I also remember very fondly the time Fabio and I visited Donald at his office. As we were about to sit down, Donald stepped inside the room with both his arms raised and, in his signature lively voice, said, “ I love art! I love art! Show me some good art!” Everyone in the room burst into laughter. That moment captured his infectious enthusiasm for life and art, which left a lasting impression on me.  On another occasion, when I was about to leave after a meeting with a curator at the Rubin Museum to discuss an upcoming exhibition titled “Kora” at the Queens Museum of Art, Donald called me over saying, “Rigdol, I want to show a wonderful artwork by a young Tibetan artist.” He led me to his office and pointed to a painting. I admired it and said, “This is a very good painting, it feels like the work of a master.” I then added with a smile, “By the way, it’s one of mine, from my pastel series.” Donald was momentarily taken aback and then burst into laughter, saying, “Are you sure, you made this?” That day, I saw how genuinely he connected with art, letting it speak to his heart before anything else. The exhibition which opened at the Queen’s museums and travelled to more than four other museums became one of the most significant and widely travelled exhibitions of contemporary Tibetan art representing artists from Tibet and the global diaspora.

One of my fondest memories dates back to 2010, during the “Tradition Transformed” exhibition. The Trace Foundation and Rubin Museum of Art co-organized a panel discussion, bringing together art critics, scholars, and participating artists. However, the discussions unexpectedly centred around a single review by New York Times art critic Ken Johnson. His critique was somewhat harsh, particularly towards two senior contemporary Tibetan artists. As the audience passionately defended the artists and exhibition, the atmosphere grew tense. Then, Donald, seated in the front row, raised his hand and calmly said, with a gentle smile, “Andy Warhol used to say he didn’t read reviews; he measures it with a tape.” The room erupted in laughter, and the tension dissipated instantly. Turning to us, the Tibetan artists, Donald continued, “All you need to do is create exceptional art. Focus on your work, and we’ll always support you.”

Through all this, I feel profound gratitude for the opportunities you, Donald, and the Rubin Museum of Art have provided me and numerous fellow artists, especially marginalized Tibetan artists.

The Rubin Museum has been and remains an integral part of my journey and that of countless artists. It is a nurturing home and platform for Tibetan, Nepalese, Mongolian, and Bhutanese art, artists, historians, and scholars.

Finally, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations and heartfelt prayers for the bold new direction the Rubin Museum is embarking upon. May the spirit and love of Donald, you, and the Rubin Museum of Art resonate across all mountains and plains.

With

warm regards

Tenzing Rigdol

Note: Tibetan contemporary artist Tenzing Rigdol has written the letter of gratitude to Shelly Frost Rubin, the Chair and Co-founder along with her husband Donald Rubin of the Rubin Museum of Art, as the globally renowned museum embarks on a new direction of transitioning into a global museum model with the goal of bringing greater awareness and understanding of Himalayan art to more people around the world.