I'm interested in all facets of Tibetan life; from architecture to folk art, mythical tales to utility objects,
and see them as sources and references for art. The colors and the lines in the simplest woven textiles,
and even the rhythms and intonations of Tibetan music, all have in them the sensibilities of a culture that
is still able to seamlessly unify the particular with the universal, and hold it in balance with equanimity and
compassion.
The process of finding and moving towards the universal, and away from the particular, helps me bridge my present situation and surroundings with my interest in core Tibetan cultural insights.
In a sense, I'm trying to get closer to the ideas and experiences of Tibetan culture by stripping away
the surface embellishments and traditional conventions, which make them seem abstruse and far away
from the world I inhabit today. I want my artwork to stand by themselves without need for cultural
commentary and footnotes.
Tibetans have a saying, "that 'such and such' has shagtsi," which means it has 'grease'. Grease is
where the flavor is in meat, and where the soul is in culture. I want my work to always retain the shagtsi of
Tibetan culture no matter how far it strays from tradition..
