About this set of multiples, Kimyon explains that the Urban Terma Series “is a body of work that has emerged from combining my life in Brooklyn NY with Tibetan Buddhist imagery and applies these practices among the bombardment of today’s consumerist and materialistically driven society.”
(Paraphrasing from wikipedia like 90% of college students) Tradition holds that terma may be a physical object such as a text or ritual implement that is buried in the ground or secreted away elsewhere. Though a literal understanding of terma is “hidden treasure”, and sometimes objects are hidden away, the teachings associated should be understood as being ‘concealed within the mind of the guru.’
Kimyon took this photo in rural Tibet during a prayer being lead by a great teacher… “The monk in the shot was witnessing the teacher for the first time in many years and was in a state of pure reverence and devotion. This work represents the juxtaposition between the reserved, subdued mentality of eastern philosophy and western ideology, and making sense and connections between them. The monk represents inner strength and calm in the midst of constant chaos.” – Kimyon
The floor of Kimyon's studio
In this sense we take Urban Terma to be certain teachings hidden within a bustling, urban context. An ancient text buried in the ground, a understanding held within the mind of an enlightened teacher, or existential insights obscured by a distracted and chaotic life in the city, terma might be considered to be simultaneously concealed and ever-present, waiting for your mind to become ready.
Enough of my philosophical rambling however. We hope the art makes you think, it certainly provoked our musings! The ethereal and subdued background photo of the two Tibetan monks is consistent in each of the 30 prints, but the “constant chaos” appears different in every piece, using a mixture of krink (paint) markers and acrylics.
Touring Kimyon's apartment in Brooklyn
If you’re a New Yorker, or have stayed in the right hotels while visiting the city, you’ve surely seen some of Kimyon’s installations. While his style is in a similar vein as Keith Haring’s (an obvious influence from his historical apartment), browsing the rest of his works this series stands out as a true Kimyon Huggins.
Another look in Kimyon's (formerly Keith Haring's) apartment
artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Kimyon Huggins in his studio
For more photos of Kimyon’s studio, check out our tumblr post. To view all 30 unique prints of this RUN, check out this page.
Peace!
– Rob