Reinterpreting Buddhism in Contemporary Art

Since Buddhism appeared around the 5th century B.C., it has gone beyond the role of religion and established itself as a discipline that gives philosophical teachings to many people. After the 20th century, Buddhism has gone beyond being a representative ideology of the East and continues to be a social and cultural inspiration for many people worldwide. This panel intends to examine in detail how traditional Buddhism contributes to the universalization, conceptualization, and communication of contemporary art. The reinterpretation and visualization of Buddhism, which began in earnest as Fluxus, one of the pioneer artistic trends in contemporary art, expanded into a concept for universalization and induced sympathy for new globalization. It also explores how Buddhism is being reinterpreted and visualized by contemporary artists today, becoming a work of art for the public, not art for the few. For instance, the works of contemporary Korean artists, such as Jeong Hwa Choi, Kimsooja, and Do Ho Suh, do not start from the political and economic leadership but the personal life stories of artists living as one of us. Thus, this panel provides how contemporary art shows humanist, participatory, empathic, diverse, and global aspects, connects with people’s long-familiar religion, and conveys multilayered messages. This expansion of art today also provokes the value of human dignity and the importance of the world as one community.