Gonkar Gyato’s work collages small stickers of of branding logos, typography, and recognizable cartoon characters to create images of the Buddha. I like the idea, and find it compelling both from a visual stand point and also when considering the teachings of the Buddha in the modern world. However, I’m normally surprised by what makes it into the Venice Biennale, as it seems to me that this isn’t winning any major points for originality or even aesthetics. Having said that, I still like his new work quite a bit and it’s great to see a Tibetan making it in the ‘Art World.’
Gonkar Gyatso, The Shambala of Modern Times, 2008, stickers, paper cuttings and pencil on treated paper, 200 x 219 cm
Gonkar Gyatso was born in 1961 in Lhasa. He graduated from the Fine Art Department of the Central Institute of Nationalities, Beijing and from the Chelsea Art & Design College, London. He is the Co-Founder of “The Sweet Tea House Artists Association”. Gyatso has exhibited his works in Dharamsala, New Dehli, London, Helsinki, Washington, Lyon, Durban, Zurich. Gonkar Gyatso is living in London and is a visiting teacher at the London Institute.
I prefer these works of his, which I’m assuming are photographs because it is not made clear on the website.
Here is an interesting article about the contemporary Tibetan Art movement. More of his work after the break…
I start to get confused with his sculptural clothing work
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