Artists
Hyolmo Pasang
Pathways and Passages interprets the entrances of Buddhist monasteries as symbols of humaneness, community, and cultural continuity. The works integrate everyday motifs and landscapes of the Himalayan region into these decorated doorways as a way to harmonize traditional symbols with present-day experiences and aspirations. Having worked as a traditional Thangka painter since my early youth, the experience of painting these decorated monastery doorways and walls is etched into my cultural identity as an artist.
In spite of hardship and uncertainty, traditional artists today continue this art form through meticulous restoration, conservation, and preservation in monasteries, studios, and communal spaces across the Himalayan region. My work presents this continuity through the transition from faded, historic paint on a surface to vibrant and fresh layers of paint. It honors the preservation of Himalayan cultures and knowledge as artists connect a distant past with the immediacy of the present.
Similarly, the works also connect to the ongoing uncertainty and conflict in the world, offering a prayer for peace through motifs of prayer flags and butter lamps integrated into the decorations above a monastery entrance. I place the Himalayas at the top, grounding human aspirations and dilemmas beneath the protection of the larger, benevolent forces that surround us.
Selected Works
Pathways and Passages I
