Best of 2015: Five Unforgettable Events, Workshops, and Celebrations

So far this month we’ve shared our lists of the most remarkable Rubin speakers and performers of 2015. Now we’re looking back at the year’s most memorable workshops and events.

The events below—from the summer block party to the fall gala—exemplify the passion and curiosity of the Rubin Museum community. The events below will be remembered long after the book on 2015 has closed, and we look forward to having even more fun next year!

1) Rubin Block Party 2015

Many head to the beach or vacation in cooler climates during the summer, but the Rubin block party gave New Yorkers a reason to stick around the city this July! Inspired by the exhibition Becoming Another: The Power of Masks, our annual summer block party had the theme of transformation. Activities at the Block Party included live performances, arts and crafts, free Museum tours, and a fun photobooth for everyone to show off their costumes, creations, and vibrant personalities. Without a doubt the block party was a hit and we look forward to next year’s celebration!

2) Losar Family Day: Himalayan New Year Celebration

In February, families were invited to the Museum to celebrate Losar, Tibetan for “New Year,” and partake in a variety of family activities! More than 250 participants turned up to immerse themselves in a fun-filled afternoon of art-marking, traditional Tibetan musical performances, family gallery tours, Tibetan tea drinking, and sand mandala demonstrations. Rubin guide Tashi Chodron also set up a costume area where children could dress up in traditional Tibetan celebratory clothing. At the end of the day, children gathered around and watched in awe as artists swept away an intricate sand mandala that had been constructed throughout the day, symbolizing the impermanence of life and material things. The children had a chance to hold their own destruction ceremony by tossing their own mandala contents into the air.

Join us for our Losar Family Day in February 2016.

3) Dream-Over 2015

“I have never felt so intimate with a piece of art in my life.” —Dream-over attendee

Earlier this year dreamers were invited to spend the night at the Museum. This sold-out event included bedtime stories, lullabies, dream discussion groups, and, of course, midnight snacks. After a conversation with Tibetan Buddhist monk Khenpo Pema and dream experts William Braun and Vanessa Sinclair, dreamers meditated on art and tucked themselves in for the night. As dreamers woke up to the natural morning light, dream interpreters went from bed to bed collecting the dreams of the previous night.

4) Masked Wonder and Celebration at the Rubin Museum Annual Gala and After-Party

In October the Rubin Museum of Art hosted its mask-themed gala and after-party at Guastavino’s. Guests were all dressed to the nines, many adorned with beautiful custom masks to complete their outfits. Upon entering the venue, guests were greeted by marvelous Tibetan cham dancers before enjoying cocktails in the lounge and browsing auction items. Once guests made their way upstairs for dinner, ABC News Correspondent Dan B. Harris emceed the gala festivities, which included the presentation of the Heart Connection Award to Museum co-founder Donald Rubin and a performance by the musical artist Falu.

Thanks to DJs AndrewAndrew, guests hit the floor after the main gala festivities and danced the night away!

5) Shamanic Power Animal Workshop

To coincide with our exhibition Becoming Another: The Power of Masks, White Shamaness ChokBar, who hails from the south Siberian region of Tuva, graced the Museum in June to cleanse workshop participants and guide them to understand the power of shamanism. ChokBar conducted several smudging ceremonies on 17th Street with a hawk-feather headdress and a vibrant robe. The cleansing sessions were followed by a shamanic meditation session, complete with sounds of wild animals filling the theater and a free-form dance led by ChokBar. By the end of the workshop, many visitors felt that they were guided by the shaman to discover their own spirit animals.

Honorable Mention: Asia Week 2015 Celebration

Asia Week New York is a collaboration between top-tier Asian art specialists, major auction houses, and world-renowned museums and Asian cultural institutions in the New York metropolitan area that takes place every March. In 2015 the Museum celebrated Asia Week with a fun-filled night of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a thrilling aerial performance. The event also commemorated the start of the Rubin’s second decade and the opening of our exhibition Becoming Another: The Power of Masks. Save the date for the Rubin Museum’s 2016 Asia Week celebration!

There are more celebrations and workshops in store for 2016! Check out all of the upcoming events at the Rubin.