The Rubin Unveils Programs During Its Final Month At 17th Street

 The Rubin Museum will offer a suite of engaging programs for visitors during the final month in its Chelsea building, including durational performances as part of the ongoing exhibition Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now, a talk in the theater with Michael Imperioli, free admission from October 3 - 6, a 17th Street Farewell Party, an interactive commission culminating in a closing ceremony, and more. The final day to visit the galleries will be October 6.

In its next chapter as a global museum, the Rubin will continue to foster awareness and understanding of Himalayan art with audiences around the world. The museum's decentralized approach will reach more people where they are through partnerships and collection sharing, traveling exhibitions and experiences, expanded resources for artists and scholars, and multimedia content accessible online.

REIMAGINE DURATIONAL PERFORMANCES

During the final weeks of the museum-wide exhibition Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now, featuring artworks by over 30 contemporary artists from the Himalayan region and diaspora, artists Sonam Tshedzom Tingkhye and YESHE will present performance pieces developed with the mentorship of the Marina Abramović Institute. Following the closure of the 17th Street building, Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now will travel to Chicago and open on November 8 at Wrightwood 659.

Per(sever)e by Sonam Tshedzom Tingkhye
 

September 5, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 6, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
September 7, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 8, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 12, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 13, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
September 14, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 15, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Free with admission
Sonam Tshedzom Tingkhye is a Tibetan American artist who works in dance performance, choreography, film, and improvisation. In her latest work, Per(sever)e, Sonam Tshedzom Tingkhye moves through internal and physical dialogues that channel the elements, space, and the body. Inspired by Machik Labdron and the chod lineage, Sonam Tshedzom Tingkhye imagines severing ideas of attachment to the self and her habitual ways of perceiving. Twist, spill, unfold, and repeat-she welcomes what arises.
 

Forbidden Songs by YESHE
 

September 8, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 15, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
September 22, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Free with admission
With Forbidden Songs, Tibetan singer-songwriter and artist YESHE embodies the voice for the voiceless singers and songwriters whose songs are forbidden to sing and perform in today's Tibet. Singers and songwriters in Tibet have been and are still being imprisoned for writing and performing these songs of identity, social justice, displacement, freedom, and hope for the future and what it means to belong. This piece features YESHE's solo voice joined at times by multiple Tibetan female voices to sing and repeat 10 forbidden songs.

TALKS & WORKSHOPS

FLAG PROJECT 2024
September 3 - October 6, during visitor hours
In celebration of the museum's transformation and the 20th anniversary of its founding, Museum visitors are invited to co-create flags of good wishes for the future. Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now artists Asha Kama Wangdi, Kabi Raj Lama, Losel Yauch, Shushank Shrestha, and Yangdzom Lama have been commissioned to design prayer flag templates. Throughout the month of September, visitors will also be invited to inscribe their messages of good wishes for the future, as the Rubin embarks on its transformation to a global museum. The flags will be strung outside the Museum above 17th Street in a culminating public ceremony on October 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM. This initiative echoes how the Rubin opened the building twenty years ago on October 2, 2004.
 

A MEDITATOR'S GUIDE TO BUDDHISM
Book Launch with Cortland Dahl in Conversation with Adam Davidson

Friday, September 13; 6:30 - 8:00 PM
$20
How do you transform your mind and embrace true, unshakeable happiness? Buddhism is rooted in the simple idea that you can train your mind to suffer less and flourish more. In this experiential talk, Cortland Dahl discusses with journalist Adam Davidson the journey through the core principles and meditation practices of the Buddhist tradition. This program is presented in association with Shambhala Publications.
 

BUDDHISM WISDOM FROM PALM LEAF TO PIXEL
With Donald S. Lopez and Michael Imperioli

Friday, September 20; 7:00 - 8:30 PM
$35
Join us for an evening with the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC) exploring the evolution of Buddhist wisdom and knowledge as it is translated and transformed between cultures and across time. The event will include a talk by renowned scholar Donald S. Lopez, a dramatic Buddhist reading by actor and writer Michael Imperioli, and musical performances from guest artists; this evening promises to be a celebration on multiple levels.

RECURRING PROGRAMS
 

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

Thursday, September 5
Thursday, September 12
Thursday, September 19
Thursday, September 26 - final Mindfulness Meditation program hosted at the Rubin
1:00 - 1:45 PM
$19; free for members
Led by expert teachers, each Mindfulness Meditation session is inspired by a different work of art from the Rubin Museum's collection. The program includes an opening talk, a twenty-minute meditation session, and a closing discussion, followed by an optional tour of the galleries. The Rubin is pleased to offer a podcast of the weekly practice. Click here to learn more about how you can access the podcast on your mobile device or desktop computer.
Starting October 10, the Rubin's weekly Mindfulness Meditation program will be hosted at New York Insight Meditation Center at 115 West 29th Street, 12th floor.
 

K2 FRIDAY NIGHTS

FREE, 6:00 -10:00 PM
Friday, September 6
Friday, September 13
Friday, September 20 - final K2 Friday Night hosted at the Rubin
Cocktails, art, and music make a heady mix during K2 Friday Nights, where admission is free every Friday from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. Café Serai becomes the K2 Lounge, offering a special drinks menu to accompany the evening's DJ.
 

FAMILY SUNDAYS

Every Sunday, Through September 29
1:00 - 3:00 PM
FREE with registration
Families can come to the Mandala Lab installation on the third floor on Sundays between 1:00-3:00 PM for casual art-making and free family-friendly activities. Designed for children ages 3 and up with accompanying adults, the art activities change monthly and connect with the art and ideas of the Himalayas.

FINAL WEEK AT 17TH STREET

FREE ADMISSION; 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday, October 3
Friday, October 4
Saturday, October 5
Sunday, October 6
 

17th STREET FAREWELL PARTY

Friday, October 4
6:00 - 10:00 PM
FREE with registration. A limited number of tickets will be available onsite on a first-come, first-served basis.
Enjoy free admission, cocktails, live DJ music by DJ Rekha, and a dance party.

17th STREET CLOSING CEREMONY

Sunday, October 6
5:00 - 5:30 PM
The ceremony is free and does not require a reservation.
To mark the Museum's transformation, Museum visitors are invited to a public ceremony, where more than 5,000 flags of good wishes will be displayed outside the building, echoing the way the Rubin opened the building twenty years ago on October 2, 2004.