Photography by Timothy Schenck, courtesy of Friends of the High Line
There’s still plenty to discover at the Rubin Museum this fall, with upcoming programs and exhibitions not to be missed! Their free lecture and meditation series with the High Line concludes October 10 with Monuments of War, a lecture exploring contemporary approaches to memorialization. Meanwhile, Gateway to Himalayan Art continues its national tour, opening at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on October 17 and introducing audiences to the rich visual language and traditions of Himalayan, Tibetan, and Inner Asian art. Learn more below.
The Light That Shines Through the Universe: Lectures and Meditations
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 2:30–3:30pm
High Line at 30th Street and 10th Avenue, NYC
The Rubin’s free monthly lecture and guided meditation series, presented in partnership with the High Line, are wrapping up soon! The series is in support of Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s High Line Plinth artwork, The Light That Shines Through the Universe, located on the High Line at 30th Street and 10th Avenue.
The series wraps on Saturday, October 10, with Monuments of War, a lecture given by Nico Rodriguez, deputy director of Monuments Lab, exploring Nguyen’s work in a wider context of contemporary artists’ approaches to memorialization. A guided meditation led by Steve Clorfeine, a meditation teacher from the Shambhala tradition, will follow.
To learn more and register, click here.
Chakrasamvara with Consort Vajravarahi (detail); Kham region, eastern Tibet; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; 33 x 23 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; Gift of the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation; F1997.7.2 (HAR 99)
Gateway to Himalayan Art
October 17, 2026 – January 10, 2027
USC Pacific Asia Museum
University of Southern California, Pasadena, CA
Their exhibition Gateway to Himalayan Art continues its national tour of university museums, opening at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on October 17!
The exhibition is part of the Museum’s educational initiative Project Himalayan Art which is designed to support the inclusion of Himalayan, Tibetan, and Inner Asian art and cultures in undergraduate teaching on Asia. Featuring up to 80 objects from the Rubin’s collection, the exhibition acquaints professors, students, and local visitors with the fundamental visual language and meanings of Himalayan art and offers tools to understand Buddhist concepts and artistic techniques.
The exhibition’s three areas of focus are Symbols and Meanings, Materials and Technologies, and Living Practices. Traditional scroll paintings (thangkas), sculptures in various media, and ritual items comprise the diverse range of objects on view. Among the featured installations are in-depth displays that explain the process of Nepalese lost-wax metal casting and the stages of Tibetan thangka painting. Multimedia features include videos of art making and religious and cultural practices, audio recordings of voices from Himalayan communities that highlight the living traditions, and much more on the integrated digital platform that offers rich contextual material to dive deeper.
To learn more, click here.