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The Seven Bardos of Tsherin Sherpa

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When the five lights of brilliant wisdom dawn,
Fearlessly, bravely, may I know them as myself!
When the forms of the Lords mild and fierce arise,
Bold and fearless, may I recognize the between!

                                                      -The Tibetan Book of the Dead

In Tibetan Buddhism, the intermediate state between death and rebirth is known as the bardo — The Between. What is commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead is more accurately translated as Liberation Through Understanding in the Bardo, and it serves as a kind of guidebook for souls that find themselves wandering realms of fearsome and benevolent deities. Its purpose is to remind them that whatever entities they encounter, whatever terrors or easy comforts may come, are projections of their own mind.

Fly High, 2019, Tsherin Sherpa

The VMFA’s Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits is a mid-career retrospective that elucidates artist Tserin Sherpa’s artistic, cultural, and biographical journey in poignant narrative. Curated in revelatory fashion by John Henry Rice, Sherpa’s work populates these seven distinct sections with spirits that are at once imbued with the inherent dignity of Tibetan Buddhism’s iconic spiritual imagery, yet also at varying stages of diasporic confrontation with western culture and commodification. In sequence, they tell a story of loss, struggle, empowerment, and ultimately a serenity born of the experience and transcendence of turmoil.

All Things Considered, 2014, Tsherin Sherpa

A Nepal-born artist of Tibetan descent, Sherpa was trained from a young age in traditional Buddhist artforms. It wasn’t until he arrived in the US less than 25 years ago that he was exposed to modern art. “Growing up in Nepal, we didn’t have any museum culture. We had almost no gallery existence, and the only artwork, the only accessibility of the artwork, was this traditional artwork that you see everywhere,” Sherpa says. “So once I arrived in America, for the first time I got the opportunity to go to a museum here, in San Francisco. And then I saw all of these traditional artworks put up in a museum. I had to pay for a ticket to go and see these. So this is what actually generated respect for my own heritage and tradition. It was a whole cycle.”

Enamored with a new world of galleries, and exposed to an overwhelming flood of artistic expression, his early work reflects a wavering identity caught between the negotiations of heritage and pop culture. Largely devoid of the innate balance that characterizes his contributions to the VMFA’s Awaken exhibit, these first pieces capture dissonance and disquiet; the uncomfortable comedy of something personally essential sandblasted by a culture of branding and loaded imagery.

Tara Gaga, 2016, Tsherin Sherpa

As the exhibit progresses, the spirits develop a more complex identity of their own, emerging victorious from the cacophony of geopolitical conflict and the war between defiance and assimilation. It’s here we begin to see colorful distortions of Tibetan deities swirling around Sherpa’s figures, as though an energetic force is animating their triumphs.

The final three sections of the exhibit form a kind of sanctuary, as though the tenor of the museum itself has been transmuted in the presence of the spirits’ self-actualization. Following their victory, the spirits blossom into a state of fluid consciousness, emanating not just peace, but the childlike wonder that had been buried under their previous struggles.

Lost Spirits, 2014, Tsherin Sherpa

A standout piece, The Wish-Fulfilling Tree, is  one of three sculptures in the show. A metal seven-layer mandala sprouting from a pile of rubble, it was created in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. The debris at the base is sourced from the locations to which it travels, and in Richmond has come from the VMFA itself, old buildings demolished in the name of urban renewal, and rubble from the fall of the Robert E. Lee monument. An interactive piece, viewers are invited to write their wishes on pieces of paper that are then periodically collected and inserted into the mandala itself.

The Wish-Fulfilling Tree, Tsherin Sherpa

For Sherpa, it’s not the only interactive piece in the exhibit. “I don’t try to influence the viewer so much with the stories that I have in [the paintings],” he says. “At first glance I would really appreciate if my viewer actually looks into the work, and based on her or his experience, interprets something out of it. So that becomes interactive, that becomes more; they have their say in the work. And it becomes something new.”

While his work may be formally specific to the experiences of the Tibetan diaspora, there is a universality to these pieces. Their relevance reaches past their stylistic influences and speaks to the archetypal narrative of searching for the self in a foreign place — in service not of enlightenment, but of finding some kind of home.

3 Wise Men, 2019, Tsherin Sherpa

“Basically I was not even creating [a] religious icon,” Sherpa says. “This is a spirit, which is a character, which is kind of like a modern version of a superhero that the Himalayan people can relate to. It’s kind of like a collective mental attitude. A collective imagination.”

As younger generations within the Himalayan population pull away from the rigidity of artistic and religious traditionalism, Sherpa’s spirits carry those traditions into a broader cultural conversation, an act of preservation by way of deconstruction. “I call them two vehicles — it is very very important,” Sherpa says. “And that’s why even though my practice is creating these new icons, new language to communicate with the audience, be it in Nepal or here in the west, or worldwide, simultaneously my energy is so much focused on preserving tradition in Nepal. This whole tradition, which is over a thousand year old tradition, is disappearing slowly.”

kippers (Kneedeep), 2019–20, Tsherin Sherpa

Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits doesn’t just capture the story of the diasporic consciousness, or the struggles of an artist in exile; it is a celebration of Sherpa’s elevation to the realm of the true visionary — the artist whose work inspires reflection, understanding, and ultimately acceptance of our human selves and the various realities we encounter. These are not icons of ascended beings, not Buddhas built for emulation along the path to enlightenment. They are as worldly and human as they are mystical and sacred, at once gods of the Tibetan diaspora, and the story of human history — a moment in which Tsherin Sherpa is asking us to recognize his spirits as projections of our own minds.

Spiritual Warrior, 2020, Tsherin Sherpa

Tserin Sherpa: Spirits is currently on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and will remain on display until October 16, 2022. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students, youth, and seniors. They can be purchased at the VMFA’s website.

Top Image: Spirits (Metamorphosis), 2019–20, Tsherin Sherpa, acrylic and ink on canvas. Collection of Dolma Chonzom Bhutia.

The VMFA’s ‘Congo Masks’ Exhibit Leaves Out Much-Needed Historical Context

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It was the Congolese people, and their struggle, that shaped the art of the Congo during the colonial period. And it is the context of these people and this struggle that is missing from the exhibit at the VMFA.

In 1876, King Leopold II of Belgium founded a private holding company called the International Association for the Exploration and Civilization of the Congo; it was formed specifically for the purpose of collecting African wealth. Only a few years later, this company founded a colony in the Congo — and by 1885, a Conference of European countries established the Congo Free State under the personal rule of Leopold and his private army.

As colonial ruler of the Congo Free State, Leopold II reigned with brutality and terror.

The invention of the rubber tire and discovery of latex in the Congo fueled Leopold’s savage greed: It is estimated by many that the human cost in terms of lives lost in the quest for rubber was as high as 10 million under Belgian colonial influence.

The Congolese died from violence, disease, and starvation.

Interestingly, the privately owned collection of art currently on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), “Congo Masks: Masterpieces from Central Africa,” dates, for the most part, from the Belgian colonial period, and specifically to the savage rule of Leopold.

Under Leopold, the Congolese fought not only for their lives, but for their identities. A struggle against an oppressor who wanted to take more than just their sovereign wealth: Belgium was a colonizer who wanted to take their languages, their beliefs, and their very selves. It was these people, and this struggle, that shaped the art of the Congo during the colonial period. And it is the context of these people and this struggle that is missing from the exhibit at the VMFA.

When touring the exhibit, an occasional “Community” sign describes the influence of colonialism, but only just: mentions that knowledge of specific artists was lost, or that an entity called the Leopard Cult developed as a form of resistance to colonial power, were the only acknowledgments describing the actual Congolese experience as the context of this art.

The closing sign in the exhibit attempts to describe the “Lives of Masks,” pointing out that during colonialism masks were taken from where they were created by international collectors. While these are hints about the real background and context of these masks, it is a quote from the Belgian owner of the collection in the exhibit catalogue that speaks much louder:

“After 1885, the start of Belgium’s colonial enterprise in the Congo, the government encouraged resident Europeans to investigate traditional Congolese life, art, and ritual ceremonies. As a result, as early as the 1880s, masks were collected by Europeans (some of which are included in this book and exhibition).”

What a disingenuous way to describe the power of the colonist who was responsible for the deaths of millions of people. What is the VMFA thinking?

Perhaps there is more information in the exhibit catalogue if you read past the foreword (it is available in many of the exhibit rooms to read). Yet as soon as you open this book, you see the 11 contributing authors on the cover flaps: Nine white men and two white women. These are experts in Africa — experts in African art — but they are not African. Missing entirely from this exhibit is the voice of the Congolese themselves.

In a post-Wakanda world, we all know the words of Black Panther’s Killmonger to a European museum curator demanding a dialogue about who owns art:  

“How do you think your ancestors got these [pieces]? Do you think they paid a fair price? Or did they take it… like they took everything else?”

This exact conversation about who owns art — especially art collected during colonialism — is one that is happening more often, and rightfully so.

French museums are making progress towards returning art to their countries of origin, following French President Macron’s announcement that “African heritage cannot be the prisoner of European museums.” And the VMFA has been a part of a similar conversation: recently the board voted to return art stolen by Nazis. Even a Congolese art collector, Sindika Dokolo, insists that the responsibility of art museums to decolonize their collections is a need urgent and equivalent to that of repatriating collections looted from Jews during WWII.

And yet, as reported in the RTD, some of the Congo masks at the VMFA are likely worth 8-9 million dollars each. Visitors pay to see the exhibit that includes at least some masks that originated or were collected as early as the 1880s under Leopold’s reign. When does the continued exploitation of Congolese bodies, lives, and creativity enter this conversation?

The VMFA already knows the answer to this. Instead of acknowledging the lived experiences of artists of the Congo, persevering with their craft despite these colonial horrors, the exhibit instead reduces that story to a mere display of art. It is a dangerous precedent to set, when here in our city — and across this country and others — we struggle to reconcile brutal histories of oppression with truth, reconciliation, and justice. The Congo masks are not just masterpieces of art; they are symbols of bodily and spiritual resistance to one of the most brutal colonial invasions of Africa. It is truly disappointing that visitors to this VMFA exhibit will not learn this at the museum. 

*Dr. Amy Rector is a member of the VMFA. 

VCU’s ICA calls for story ideas for ‘Richmond: Symphony of a City’

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The Institute for Contemporary Art has launched an open call to Richmond citizens for collaboration on Italian artist Marinella Senatore’s new radio drama, Richmond: Symphony of a City.

Senatore’s work has been exhibited widely throughout Italy, Spain, London, Berlin and New York and now, the world-renowned artist is looking for unique ideas for her radio drama right here in Richmond.

The artist is famous for her tendency to involve entire communities and even cities to create art wherever she goes. She is also popular for her ability to work through different mediums of art for the sake of her storytelling. Her mission in Richmond is to tell stories that only true Richmonders can provide. — stories that highlight the past, present, and future of this River City.

Radio dramas, once commonly broadcast, use highly theatrical dialogue and music to tell stories about extraordinary, and ordinary, people and places. America’s most famous radio drama broadcast was Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds, which actually convinced hundreds of listeners that a real invasion from Mars had taken place.

Senatore is here to bring that drama and that powerful passion back.Those with family legends and critical perspectives or anyone who has a great tale to tell are invited to share their stories.

Using local submissions to create the outline for Richmond: Symphony of A City, Senatore will work with a cross-section of Richmonders to develop the radio drama in 2018, which will be performed as part of Declaration, ICA’s inaugural exhibition which will run April 21 – September 9.

All are welcome to submit, and story ideas must be submitted to [email protected] by Dec. 10, with a maximum word limit of 500 words.

Photo Credit: ICA

Art Sponsored by Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art 

RVA Mag takes Montpelier’s Enslaved Community Tour

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The effects of slavery are still seen in today’s society, whether it be the disproportionate rates of incarceration, housing discrimination, or cycles of poverty in the African American community. Yet the historical trend up until very recently was to ignore the true legacy of slavery in favor of a more sanitized version. However, some institutions are now attempting to tell, what they call, America’s fuller, truer history.

Montpelier, James Madison’s estate, launched its newest multi-media exhibition last month bringing the previously untold history to life while examining the legacy of slavery today. The Mere Distinction of Colour tells the realities of what it was like to be enslaved at the fourth president’s plantation home in Orange County, Virginia.

Madison’s Plantation Home, Montpelier

The exhibition, that’s been two years in the making, is spread among two areas: the cellars of the Madison’s home and the South Yard where the domestic and field slaves resided. The slave quarters and smokehouses were put together based on years of research, archeology, and insurance maps.

Montpelier received a $10 million donation from philanthropist David Rubenstein in 2013, $6 million of the donation went toward furnishing the house and the remaining $4 million went toward reconstructing the slave quarters in the South Yard for the first time ever. 

The exhibitions in the cellars, are based off of years of historical research and oral histories, both of which focus on what slavery was like at Montpelier. One cellar tells the real story of slavery at Madison’s plantation, while the other focuses on the institution of slavery from a national perspective.

Adorning one cellar, is the name of every slave that worked at the plantation painted on the walls, juxtaposed against another wall that contains a copy of the U.S. Constitution. Each paragraph protecting slavery is highlighted despite the actual word never being mentioned in the document, down the hall a soundbite plays the voice of a descendant of those enslaved telling her story.

Price Thomas, director of marketing and communications at The Montpelier Foundation, said the goal of the exhibition was to be interesting and informative but more importantly emotional.

“Emotional can mean any amount of things,” Thomas said. “Sometimes people leave upset, sometimes people leave inspired. People cry. People are curious. We didn’t want this to be a ‘Meh, OK cool. Great.’ We wanted something for people to interact with, something tactile so people could feel in more ways than one.”

Thomas said slavery was woven into the fabric of American society since its first institution and the effects of that can still be seen today. Montpelier even published an article listing six ways understanding slavery can change how people understand American freedom, linking it to a larger conversation the U.S. and Virginia is having now.

“There’s an element of this that has a little bit more of a connective tissue,” Thomas said. “What we want to do here is talk about the past, sure, but we want to connect the past to the present and then use Madison, use the Constitution as a lens to do that.”

Thomas said The Montpelier Foundation is not an activist group, they’re just telling history. He said the most important thing is that the exhibition is founded in fact and research.

“Whether or not [this exhibition] is changing the world, I don’t think so, but that wasn’t the goal,” Thomas said. “The goal was to represent a truer American history in a way that everybody that comes up the driveway could interact with. Young, old, black, white, gay, straight, short, tall, whatever. You’re starting to see this in general, more representation of a more diverse history.”

In addition to walking through The Mere Distinction of Colour exhibition, Montpelier offers the Enslaved Community tour focusing on the narrative of the people enslaved there, narratives which have only begun to be elevated in recent years.

Russell Halley has been giving tours at Montpelier for a couple years now. Montpelier prefers the term “interpreter” to “tour guides” because no two tours of are the same, each person gives their own perspective on the facts.

Halley began his version of the Enslaved Community tour saying some parts of history, slavery included, can be difficult to talk about but mustn’t be ignored.

“If we are Americans, this is an important story that needs to be told,” Halley said. “This isn’t meant to be a guilt trip.”

Slave Quarters on The Mere Distinction of Color Tour, Montpelier

He led the group through the grounds, giving your typical history tour chock-full with facts history buffs would love. When the group arrived at the slave quarters, Halley talked about their everyday lives and the realities of slave life at Montpelier.

“Throughout history we’ve had these guys [the founding fathers] on pedestals,” Halley said. “We’re not trying to smash them to the ground but rather gently bring them down so we can look at them as real people. This is a real conversation about real people.”

This comes at a time as Virginia, Richmond included, is attempting to join this conversation that connects its history to its present. There’s been a trend of cities across the state beginning to recognize and elevate the African American narrative these past few months.

Tours and exhibitions like Montpelier’s have made their debuts at other historical institutions like Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Mayors in cities like Richmond and Charlottesville are now addressing how to contextualize Confederate symbols, while at the same time elevating new history such as the recently erected a statue of Maggie Walker. 

And looking into the future, The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities will continue this trend with a grant they received to offer virtual reality tours at various sites across the state with a new focus on the enslaved community to name some efforts.

*Photos by Landon Shroder