The Art of Calligraphy [Hardcover]

Chogyam Trungpa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 1994

During the twenty-year period of his remarkable proclamation of Buddhist and Shambhala teachings in the West, calligraphy was a primary means of expression for Chogyam Trungpa. This book showcases fifty-eight of his brushworks—poems, seed syllables, and phrases as well as abstract images. Facing them are short, pertinent quotations from his prose and poetry. An essay entitled "Heaven, Earth, and Man," based on one of Trungpa's "dharma art" workshops, is also included. Here he emphasizes what he called "art in everyday life": the cool, peaceful expression of unconditional beauty that offers us the possibility of being able to relax enough to perceive the phenomenal world and our own senses properly. He goes on to show how the dynamic of heaven, earth, and man (the ancient Oriental hierarchy of the cosmos) is basic to any artistic endeavor—painting, building a city, or designing an airplane—as well as to perceiving the art that surrounds us. He also introduces the idea that "the discipline of art-making" can be used to organize and create a decent society.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Chögyam Trungpa produced numerous works of calligraphy during the twenty years he taught in the West. The Art of Calligraphy: Joining Heaven and Earth, features sixty-one of his brushworks beautifully reproduced. Facing them are short, pertinent quotations from his prose and poetry. Also included is his essay, "Heaven, Earth, and Man" based on one of Trungpa's "dharma art" workshops. —Bookmarks, The Asia Society.

About the Author

Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987) was a meditation master, teacher, and artist who founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior and Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 173 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1st edition (November 29, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877735913
• ISBN-13: 978-0877735915
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,194,964 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Trungpa's contribution, February 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Calligraphy (Hardcover)

Very interesting and refreshingly raw written material(Trungpa is Tibetan writing in English), beautiful art reproductions.

An intriguing and insightful, if somewhat formalized, approach to art-making. I believe it could be appreciated by most visual artists.

Problem is I feel that the design of the book is unsuccessful; for example, to me the paper is not pleasing (glossy, gold colored), which takes away from the impact of the message of inspired design. Should possibly be re-released in paperback with a new look.