If you’ve been to VMFA recently, you’ve probably noticed the 3D printers humming away in the Atrium. They’re printing the hundreds of tiny buildings that make up the Forbidden City in honor of the upcoming special exhibition, which opens Oct 18. This printing project is part of a crowdfunding campaign to support the museum’s exhibition program. Your tax-deductible donations support all of VMFA’s exhibitions—from traveling exhibitions like Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures from the Palace Museum, Beijing and Chihuly to those showcasing VMFA’s permanent collections.
Each giving level—this one is $500—is tied to an architectural element of the Forbidden City. In a series of six blog posts, we will provide the story behind each of these intriguing icons: The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest building in the Forbidden City, was where the emperor hosted grand ceremonies such as his birthday celebration, his enthronement ceremony, the Winter Solstice and the New Year. Rituals in ancient China were considered dialogues between humans and gods, in which humans made supplications for bountiful harvests, good fortune, and societal peace. The marbled platforms and balustrades of the Hall of Supreme Harmony are named after the mountain believed to stand at the center of the universe in Buddhist cosmology, “Mount Sumeru.” Inside the building, the emperor would sit in front of a gilded screen featuring nine dragons—a symbol of imperial power and strength.
Help VMFA Build the Forbidden City and come by the museum to watch the progress!