Of the Earth 本土

Zhang Hongtu: "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?"

June 09, 2022 Cortney Chaffin & Ellen Larson Season 1 Episode 7
Zhang Hongtu: "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?"
Of the Earth 本土
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Of the Earth 本土
Zhang Hongtu: "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?"
Jun 09, 2022 Season 1 Episode 7
Cortney Chaffin & Ellen Larson

What does Bodhidharma (founder of Zen Buddhism) have to do with Van Gogh? In this episode Cortney & Ellen sat down to talk about NYC-based artist Zhang Hongtu, political pop, and a series of ink paintings where Zhang Hongtu merges Bodhidharma and Van Gogh to challenge "East" and "West" dualities.  

The question "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?" is a koan, or a thought riddle, used in Chan/Zen Buddhist practice to help practitioners break through rational patterns of thinking and bring about a greater awareness. 

Many thanks to all our listeners. For more Of the Earth content (including videos!), follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Buzzsprout. Interested in supporting our podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon


Show Notes

What does Bodhidharma (founder of Zen Buddhism) have to do with Van Gogh? In this episode Cortney & Ellen sat down to talk about NYC-based artist Zhang Hongtu, political pop, and a series of ink paintings where Zhang Hongtu merges Bodhidharma and Van Gogh to challenge "East" and "West" dualities.  

The question "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?" is a koan, or a thought riddle, used in Chan/Zen Buddhist practice to help practitioners break through rational patterns of thinking and bring about a greater awareness. 

Many thanks to all our listeners. For more Of the Earth content (including videos!), follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Buzzsprout. Interested in supporting our podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon