ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP):A four-day exhibition titled “Buddhist Monk and Islamic Scripture, a work of art by Monk Dr Neung Hur” on Thursday inaugurated here at Arts and Craft Village, Islamabad.
The art works by reverend monk, Dr Neung Hur, was inspired by a spiritual experience at the Bhamala Stupa, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, after the conclusion of Buddhist led peace prayer ceremony for Kashmir in October, 2019, which stirred up a thunderstorm with sudden flashes of lightening, giving the present exhibition its theme; the divine light and spiritual energy.
As an artist in residence at the Gandhara Research and Resource Centre, which is a project of Centre for Culture and Development, Islamabad, the monk, Dr Neung Hur, has produced a large body of work, inspired from local and Islamic cultural and aesthetic traditions, while creatively fusing it with Buddhist inspired colour symbolism, which is on display in the exhibition at the Aqs Gallery, as a token of his love for Gandhara, the Pakistan’s symbol for inter faith harmony.
The artworks draw attention towards the universal human energy that unites us, and lifts the veil over the façade of cultural diversity that divide us. The self-realization of the unity of human nature, paves the way for inter-religious understanding and world peace.
The artwork draws on the literal meanings of the calligraphic texts as well as on the interplay of colour symbolism. The artist believes that God is best illustrated through light and light is also a symbol of life. Living creatures cannot exist without light.
Those who aspire to resemble God’s attributes must shine and help others shine with divine light.
In his spiritual vocabulary inspired by Buddhism, the black color represents the dark human self which is blind to the light of God and lives through hate, arrogance, jealousy, and selfishness.
Reverend Dr Neung Hur, is a Buddhist monk from Korea, who specializes as an Oriental doctor and also holds PhD degrees, in the disciplines of Philosophy and Psychology.
