Beyond the Threshold: Tibetan Contemporary Art

Thresholds mark transitions, the points at which something new begins, and the level of intensity that must be reached in order for new results to materialize. Until the 1980s, Tibetan artists primarily created works associated with religious traditions and practices. With comparatively few exceptions, traditional Buddhist works dominated artistic output, most of which followed rather strict conventions of iconography and appearance. Then, four decades ago, Tibetan artists began reimagining artistic possibilities in earnest, pushing beyond the strictures of the past and into new modes of depiction. Tibetan artists, now based around the world, continue to adapt and innovate, giving material expression to their rich and varied lived experiences.

For some, explorations have involved revisiting and repurposing Buddhist imagery, removing or manipulating the iconometric grids that underlie traditional forms, juxtaposing more familiar depictions with unexpected settings, or leaving well-known shapes “incomplete.” Forms with Buddhist roots are also deployed in new ways to provide commentary on the impacts of globalization and commercialization on Tibetan culture. At the same time, modern technologies have provided more opportunities for Tibetans to represent themselves before larger audiences, and avenues to push back against the constrictions imposed by outsiders’ expectations. Many artists explore questions of identity by mining their biographies and at times challenge fellow Tibetans to reconsider their expectations of one another. A further dominant theme is place, which encompasses works responding to the physical environment and the threats that face it, as well as the creation of worlds that transcend earthly boundaries.

Beyond the Threshold presented selected works by ten Tibetan artists based in Australia, China, France, Nepal, the Netherlands, and the United States, drawn from private collections and made available by the artists themselves. There are works that appeared in this exhibition that were loans to the Loeb and therefore do not appear on this website.