The Universal and the Particular


By Kiya McClenton


The Universal and the Particular refers to the first two aspects of the Dharmadhatu, which is a Mahayana Buddhism term meaning “realm of phenomena” or “realm of eternal truth”. The Universal and the Particular are sometimes also called “non-dual and dual” “the ultimate and phenomenal”, “absolute and relative” “identity and difference”, and so on. The exhibiting artists Khang Nguyen, Jennifer Sirey, and David McDonald use their work to express the phenomena of Dharmadhatu

I had the opportunity to attend the opening night at the  Wonzimer Museum in Downtown Los Angeles on November 1, 2024, getting firsthand knowledge of the philosophy of interconnectedness in the Flower Ornament Sutra of Dharmadhatu, which is the basis for the exhibition.

Blood Sky Mend by Jennifer Sirey

Onto-Epistemic Unfurling #2-6 by Khang Nguyen

Dialectic of Identity and Difference by Khang Nguyen

Dialectic of Identity and Difference by Khang Nguyen

Intra-Being: Dialectic of Self and Other by Khang Nguyen

Onto-Epistemic Unfurling #6 by Khang Nguyen

Light of the Reflective Looking Glass by Khang Nguyen

Onto-Epistemic Unfurling #7 by Khang Nguyen

Light #2, #5, #7, #9, & #11 by David McDonald

Wonzimer Art Museum

Circumambulating the Unveiling Chamber by Khang Nguyen