Xu Zhen
Interface — Twenty-One Emanations of the Goddess Tara
Framing size : 259 × 139 cm
Materials : Hanging Scroll, ink on silk
Year : 2024
“Interface” series depicts the webpage interface showcasing Tibetan artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website. The artist meticulously uses ink painting to portray details such as the navigation bar, labels, text descriptions, and images of the artifacts, emphasizing the standardization and homogeneity of the digital world. One is left to reflect on the regulation and control behind cultural exchanges.
Seated on her throne, Tara bestows blessings upon her devotees. She is surrounded by incarnations that present essentially the same image. In worship, each Tara is envisioned as the holder of different blessings—the bringer of prosperity, the dispeller of sorrows, and the destroyer of obsessions. Below, a monk is meditating on the image of White Tara and her manifestations.