The Skywalker-Dakini

The Skywalker-Dakini symbolizes the primordial emptiness and wisdom of enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism, which is also a recurring subject in thangka painting. Tsherin Sherpa deconstructs the ornate structures of traditional thangka painting, using freely flowing strokes of color to transform the symbols and patterns associated with protective deities into abstract forms. Through this process, he reconsiders how Nepalese and Himalayan cultures are viewed and understood, while reflecting on questions of identity and diasporic experience. This exhibition presents both his paintings and sculptures. Created in collaboration with traditional Nepalese artisans, his sculptures incorporate local craft traditions that are gradually disappearing, bringing them into contemporary artistic practice and enabling these traditional techniques to be seen, sustained, and passed on within a new artistic context.