A common concern with historical artifact exhibitions is their tendency to cater to academics versed in a particular field, while excluding the general public by not supplying any descriptive text about the collection.
The Mongolian and Tibetan Cultural Artifacts Exhibition L in Taipei attempts to be informative with an extensive selection of relics from Mongolia and Tibet. But, while the labels are in both English and Chinese, viewers are still limited in what they can learn from the experience due to a lack of supplementary information on the pieces.
Sponsored by the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission in Taipei, the exhibition covers two floors with both historical and modern-day items on loan from a museum in Ulaan Bator. The main level comprises mostly Vajrayana Buddhist iconography, which -- for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhism -- has an impressive collection of vajras and stupas.
Likewise, there is a large sand mandala with a display of photos taken during its construction by a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks visiting Taiwan. The mandala is striking, but the sense of impermanence -- which is normally revealed when a mandala is destroyed -- is lost when the glue marks are noticed through the dusty glass showcase.
A Mongolian yurt (tent house) has also been set up on the main level and is one of the few items with any accompanying text. Although the inside bares a resemblance to a typical Mongolian tent-home, the missing stove and floor beds diminish its authenticity. Behind the yurt is a somewhat comical and randomly placed collection of stuffed toy animals that does not have any labeling, but is presumably meant to represent Mongolian camels and Tibetan yaks.
The second floor, which was recently renovated, has a much better display area and quality of lighting compared to the main level. Separated into two parts, the upper floor comprises items from both past and present-day Mongolia and Tibet.
The showcase -- filled with daily necessities such as tea, spices, alcohol and dairy products -- is one of the most interesting features of the exhibit. It's here, however, that a description of the items would be most beneficial. Mannequins dressed in traditional clothing, musical instruments and traditional pieces of furniture are also placed around the rooms.
Exhibition notes:
What: Mongolian and Tibetan Artifacts Exhibition
Where: Mongolian and Tibetan Culture Center (蒙藏文化中心地址) located at 3, Lane 8, Chingtien Street, Taipei (台北青田街八巷三號)
Telephone: (02) 2351 4280
When: Until Dec. 31, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 12pm; 2pm to 5pm. Wu Ri-jin's Oil Paintings of Mongolia Exhibition will end on Sept. 20.
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