Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces Free Community Program

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced a free community program, “Lotus Girl with Helen Tworkov,” celebrating the new paperback release of Tworkov’s memoir, “Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America.” Presented as part of SPAC’s LiteraryArts@SPAC initiative in collaboration with Skidmore College and The Tang Teaching Museum, the event will take place Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m. at The Pines at SPAC.

The event will be moderated by Benjamin Bogin, Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Skidmore College with an introduction by SPAC Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Sobol. The conversation will explore Tworkov’s spiritual journey, her upbringing in New York’s vibrant art world as the daughter of acclaimed artist Jack Tworkov, her reflections on Buddhism’s evolution in the West, and the experiences and encounters that inspired her memoir. 

Set against the cultural backdrop of the Vietnam War and the American counterculture, Lotus Girl traces her search for meaning and truth through Japan, India and Nepal, where she encountered some of the most influential Buddhist teachers of her time. The book will be available for purchase onsite through Northshire Bookstore, with a signing to follow the discussion.

“Helen Tworkov has lived an extraordinary life, moving between worlds as seemingly different as New York’s art scene and the spiritual traditions of the East, always guided by a deep curiosity about the human experience and the nature of reality,” said Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “I have long been an admirer of the work she has done and the life she has built through this lifelong pursuit. Her memoir is an invitation to discover not only the evolution of Buddhism in America, but the remarkable journey of a woman who has never stopped asking questions.” 

The daughter of an artist, Tworkov grew up immersed in New York’s Abstract Expressionist art scene, yet from an early age questioned the cultural norms that shaped her world. At 22, after encountering an iconic photograph of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, whose act of protest profoundly challenged her understanding of the human mind and spirit, she set off for Japan and later traveled through Cambodia, India and Nepal in search of a deeper understanding of truth and the self. Tworkov went on to found The Tricycle Foundation in 1990, helping bring Buddhist perspectives and teachings to a wider Western audience through “Tricycle: The Buddhist Review.”

In conjunction with the program, The Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College will feature an important painting by American Abstract Expressionist artist Jack Tworkov, Helen’s father, alongside related drawings, available for viewing from November 16-19. This special presentation offers an additional connection to the artistic influences that shaped Tworkov’s life. Visit tang.skidmore.edu for details.

Lotus Girl with Helen Tworkov is free to attend, however space is limited. Visit spac.org for details or to register.