Will ship in a tube rolled in rice paper.
I travelled to the far corner of Nepal, in the restricted area of Upper Mustang to visit the artist Tashi Gurung near the monastery of Lo Mantang. I bought several Thangka's and I am selling them with the consent of the artist.
Tashi Gurung is a distinguished Thangka and Mandala artist hailing from the isolated kingdom of Lo Manthang on the Tibetan plateau in Nepal. Born in 1981 in Chosar, Upper Mustang, his artistic journey began at the age of 16 under the mentorship of Lhakpa Lama in Chosar. He further honed his skills by collaborating with wall painting restorer Luigi Fieni at the Thubchen Gompa.
In 1999, Tashi participated in the restoration of 500-year-old Buddhist murals in local gompas, including Jampa and Thupchen, as featured in the NOVA PBS documentary "Lost Treasures of Tibet." His expertise led him to UNESCO-sponsored restoration projects across Bhutan, Nepal, Ladakh (India), Tibet, and Kham (China). Motivated by these experiences, he spent five years studying ancient painting and iconography under Master Thangka Painter Mukti Singh Thapa in Kathmandu.
Tashi operates a small art gallery in Lo Manthang, where he creates Thangkas. He employs traditional methods, using mineral pigments from semi-precious stones like vermilion and orpiment, mixed with yak ghee and water. Some artworks also feature 24-carat gold.
His artistic contributions have been showcased in various exhibitions, and has been offered in various art galleries around the world.
Tashi Gurung's work plays a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Upper Mustang, Nepal, blending traditional techniques with contemporary expressions.
In Buddhism, particularly in the Tibetan tradition, the practice of creating art like Thangkas is seen as a spiritual discipline—a form of meditation and devotion. Signing the painting might be seen as an act of self-promotion, which contradicts the teachings on egolessness and non-attachment.