"Echoes of the Past"

When the ancient cave temples of Xiangtangshan were rediscovered in the early 20th century, they were immediately pillaged for their stunning Buddhist sculptures. In 2004, University of Chicago scholar Katherine R. Tsiang began a large-scale project to photograph fragments and sculptures once removed from the caves and ultimately digitally re-create the grand landmark with the help of veteran new-media artist Jason Salavon. Enriching the Smart Museum’s display of the large-scale simulation, the Smithsonian Institution helped round up the cave site’s original limestone remnants, which include bodhisattvas, a demon monster, hand fragments and monumental Buddha heads.

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