Blog @ the Nelson-Atkins

I usually find this style a bit 'kitsch'. But this image, the first I ever saw of the bodhisattva, totally overwhelmed me about 8 years ago when I saw it on the cover of a book about Guanyin and I still cherish it dearly. It was as if Guanyin was looking at ME as much as the other way round, and beckoning me into his/her realm. This may be why people find the pose/decorative characteristics so appealing. It seems as if Guanyin is making an effort to reach out to us, to catch our attention in this way. The feeling emanating from this statue is sensual as well as spiritual. I'd travel from Europe to the US, Kansas, just to see this!

First entering the gallery in 1997 I was totally submerged in, and lifted up by, the power of the beauty of Guanyin. Without even thinking about it I actually took off my shoes to enter her presence. Things like that don't happen every day of the week, or even every decade. Although I live in Massachusetts I visit the Nelson-Atkins as often as possible.
Miraculously I was traveling through and present at the moment that the talk was given by the researcher who was doing the analysis of the Guanyin on August 23, 2007. The Guanyin was on a wheeled pedestal. She was turned in front of us so we could see, through a hole in her back, up into the hollowed space inside her body. As she was turned her eyes followed mine in the most compelling, intimate and compassionate way. I felt as if she had called me to come and be present for that moment. I can imagine there are many people who have as much feeling for this statue as I do.