Rare manuscripts, historic scrolls and extraordinary artworks from Monash University Library’s Special Collections are set to take centre stage at a new exhibition opening at the Sir Louis Matheson Gallery, Clayton July 2026.
Self‑Cultivation from East to West is a free exhibition that explores the origins of contemporary mindfulness.
While officiating the exhibition opening, Monash Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering said: “Self-Cultivation from East to West is a wonderful demonstration of our mission to serve our communities. It is part of the Library’s ongoing program of exhibitions designed to open our Special Collections to a broader public audience and provide unique hands-on learning opportunities for students.”
According to Library Special Collections Curator and historian Dr Anne Holloway, it features beautifully preserved works that span centuries and continents.
“They show us how practices of reflection, meditation and self-cultivation travelled through cultures – and how they found new expressions along the way,” Dr Holloway said.
“We’ve explored how ideas have circulated across Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Yoga and Western Philosophy through key manuscripts. The exhibition highlights how they have been shared, adapted and reinterpreted as they moved across countries and generations.”
Highlights include
- Rare 17th-century Tibetan manuscript
- 19th-century Kashmiri scrolls
- Poetry, artworks and hand-crafted texts
- Merchant diaries that show the movement of goods, people and ideas
“Each of these objects offers a record of people engaging with questions of purpose, balance and inner calm,” Dr Holloway said
Self‑Cultivation from East to West was co-curated by Dr Anne Holloway and Special Collections Librarian Kerri Klumpp, in partnership with Senior Lecturer in Literary Studies, School of Languages, Literature, Culture and Linguistics Dr Chris Murray. It was designed by Megan Atkins Studio.
It is part of the Library’s ongoing program of exhibitions designed to open its Special Collections to a broader public audience and provide unique learning opportunities for Monash students.
Self‑Cultivation from East to West is now on show at the Sir Louis Matheson Library Gallery, Clayton. Admission is free. It will be officially opened by Monash University Vice‑Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering, in late August 2026.
