World and Beings: Sherab Gyaltsen

June 30 - September 7, 2022

World and Beings《情器世间 》1991

Oil and crayon on canvas on Tibetan traditional paper (传统藏纸, 油画, 蜡笔)

31 7/8 x 30 3/4 in; 81 x 78 cm

Mindfulness and Evil Thoughts 《正念与邪念 》1991

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

32 2/3 x 22 4/5 in; 83 x 58 cm

Depression of the Soul 《魂之苦闷》,1991

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

22 4/5 x 32 4/5 in; 58 x 83.5 cm

Releasing the Goat 《放生羊》,1993

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

55 x 55 in; 140 x 140 cm

Sign of Pregnancy 《授胎迹象》1994 

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

32 3/5 x 22 4/5 in; 83 x 58 cm

Distinguish Three Poisons 《灭三毒》,1995

Watercolor and acrylic on Tibetan traditional paper (藏纸 、水彩、 丙烯)

28 7/10 x 23 3/5 in; 73 x 60 cm

All wisdom coming from Compassion and Wisdom 《一切智之智慧源与慈悲, 》, 1996

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

139 1/3 x 31 4/5 in; 100 x 81 cm

Milarepa and the Hunter 《尊者米拉热巴与狩猎人》,1996

Acrylic on canvas (丙烯画布)

37 x 27 1/2 in; 94 x 70 cm

Light of the Heart 《心之灯》1998

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

32 3/5 x 20 4/5 in; 83 x 58 cm

Karma 《因缘果报》,2003

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

61 4/5 x 62 1/5 in; 157 x 158 cm

Destiny 《缘》,2003

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

61 4/5 x 42 1/2 in; 157 x 108 cm

My Pot 《我的锅》,2006

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

61 4/5 x 61 4/5 in; 157 x 157 cm

The story is from an old Tibetan folk tale, with altogether twenty one chapters. The narrator is a corpse talking to a boy, a situation which looks bizarre upon the first gaze, but becomes clearer as it develops and comments on the illusion of life and death, confirming that death is just a transition period from one life to another. I find the tale very interesting. 

 

Dance of the Cemetery Lord《吉祥尸林主舞》, 2009

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

25 19/32 x 25 13/64 in; 65 x 64 cm

Avalokitasvara's Mourning 《观世音菩萨的懊丧》2009

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

28 7/10 x 28 7/10 in; 73 x 73 cm

Tibetan religious paintings, known as thanka paintings, are an intrinsic part of Tibetan art. They depict different religious personalities and manifestations of the Tibetan pantheon. Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion and the savior of Tibet, is one of the bodhisattvas whose singular mission is to save all sentient beings. He exudes impartial compassion for all creatures simply because there is no living being that has not once been one's mother or father. As all life forms are interconnected, the taking of a sheep or a goat's life is tantamount to committing matricide or patricide. Wielding the compassion of all the Buddhas, Avalokiteshvara has vowed not to rest until his mission of universal salvation is achieved.

 

Hungary Ghost's Suffering《饿鬼的苦闷 》,2009

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

28 7/10 x 28 7/10 in; 73 x 73 cm

"Greed" is an attempt to merge contemporary human experience with traditional timeless Buddhist values and beliefs still relevant today. In the symbolism of the Tibetan wheel of life, the realm of the Hungry Ghosts is the state of neurotic desire. When is desire neurotic? Desire is neurotic when it seeks from its object more than the object by its very nature is able to give or when even different satisfaction from what the object is able to give, is demanded. Let me take for example the neurotic desire for food: Sometimes people gobble down huge quantities of food, especially sweet things, while their needs are about anything but food, which has merely become a substitute for a deeper need. Psychologists claim that people consume unnecessarily large quantities of food for psychological reasons. Especially is the craving for sweets essentially a need for affection. Neurotic desire in this sense is also very often present in personal relationships; particularly in intimate personal relationships to such an extent that it appears that one hungry ghost is trying to devour another. That's the Pretas', the hungry ghosts', state of mind.

 

Double Game《双重游戏》, 2009

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

28 7/10 x 28 7/10 in; 73 x 73 cm

Being very interested in the inner world of human nature, in this picture I have tried to express a feature of the human character I have noticed over time. Some people appear to be very afraid and always angry, but their inner world is very kind, much like the way parents relate to their sons and daughters or like the teacher- student relationship in a Tibetan monastery where teachers never smile with students but at an inner level care deeply for them. In society the theme is reflected in many social relationships; sometimes people are good at pretending wisdom and kindness, but their inner world may be different. By judging from appearances alone we do not understand the inside quality, but are mesmerized by surface glamour and think "what a good heart this person has!" In my paintings I use unusual situations in the foreground while the figures and their shadows are different and act as symbols of the dual character of human nature. In the corner at the background is a symbol of the Buddhas' and bodhisattvas' encompassing understanding.

 

Sentient Beings are Stuck in the Swamp《众生仍陷在沼泽中》2009

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

27 1/2 x 27 1/2 in; 70 x 70 cm

In Buddhist view, the people in "swamp like" or difficult situations never rescue anyone from danger nor ease anybody's pain, as humans first must adhere to the Lama's (Buddhist teacher) teachings in order to abandon their own selfishness and do something for other people. In Buddhist perspective everything is interconnected throughout the aeons of time, and everything has cause and effect. The thousand armed Chenrezig symbolizes unlimited vision. The televisions on the figures' heads are symbols of modern times. Being imprisoned within our delusions and warped thinking, we are desperately in need of rescue. Yet, the one thousand armed Chenrezig can only reveal the path of liberation to us. Like a doctor prescribing medicine he can not force it down out throats; there is always free choice. The televised figures in the swamp are too absorbed in their own delusions to feel compassion for others.

 

Pain of Greedy Love《贪爱的痛苦》,2018 

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

71 3/5 x 55 1/10 in; 182 x 140 cm

Oath of Three Friends《三朋友誓言》,2006

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

61 4/5 x 61 2/5 in; 157 x 156 cm

The story is from an old Tibetan folk tale, with altogether twenty one chapters. The narrator is a corpse talking to a boy, a situation which looks bizarre upon the first gaze, but becomes clearer as it develops and comments on the illusion of life and death, confirming that death is just a transition period from one life to another. I find the tale very interesting.

 

Mandala and the Root (Nagarjuna on Search for Buddhist Scriptures)《坛城与根 系列-龙树取经 》,2015

Watercolor and pencil on paper (纸上水彩、 铅笔)

46 4/5 x 59 in; 119 x 150 cm

 

Mandala and the Root  Freedom of Letting Go I 《坛城与根 系列-放下的自由》,2015

Watercolor and pencil on paper (纸上水彩、 铅笔)

43 3/10 x 48 2/5 in; 110 x 123 cm

Mandala and the Root (Freedom of Letting Go II) 《坛城与根  系列2-放下的自在》,2021

Watercolor and pencil on paper (纸上水彩、 铅笔)

46 4/5 x 59 4/5 in; 119 x 152 cm

 

Celebrating Nagarjuna on Search for Buddhist Scriptures 《坛城与根  龙树取经颂》, 2021

Watercolor and color pencil on paper (纸上水彩 、铅笔)

46 4/5 x 59 4/5 in; 119 x 152 cm

Dancing with Black Hat 《黑帽舞》,1993

Watercolor and acrylic on Tibetan traditional paper (藏纸 、水彩 、丙烯)

27 9/10 x 23 1/5  in; 71 x 59 cm

Five Senses-Taste 《五妙欲之一味 》,1995

Watercolor and acrylic on Tibetan traditional paper (藏纸 、水彩 、丙烯)

28 7/10 x 23 3/5 in; 73 x 60 cm

Mahasiddha《成就者》,1995

Watercolor and acrylic on Tibetan traditional paper (水彩、 丙烯 、藏纸)

28 7/10 x 23 3/5 in; 73 x 60 cm

Maternal Love 《母爱》,2021

Watercolor on Tibetan traditional paper (水彩 、藏纸)

29 1/2 x 21 3/5 in; 75 x 55 cm

Mother of a Farmer-entrepreneur 《农民企业家的母亲 》,2021

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

35 2/5 x 27 1/2 in; 90 x 70 cm

Appearance and Phenomenon《显象与现象》,2022

Oil on canvas (布画油画)

62 1/2 x 62 1/2 in; 159 x 159 cm