Art exhibition launch

A detail of a new embossed 'ink-less' calligraphy
Especially created for the new exhibition.

A beautiful sunshine spring day marked the opening of Tashi Mannox's "Illuminated Optimism" exhibition at the Monnow Valley Arts Centre on the border of Wales and the Brecon Beacon National Park.

Chief Trustee Rupert Otten (pictured center) introduces Richard Kindersly and Tashi Mannox at their joint show opening.

Short welcome speeches were delivered by Richard and Tashi to a select audience including Tashi's mother Sally Somersby and his Art photographer and giclée printer Malcolm Payne of 'Colourfast Editions'

Malcolm, Tashi and Sally.

Tashi explains his works that are exhibited in the light and fresh studio space 

The exhibition runs along side Richard Kindersly's word sculpture show until the 30th June 2013, a well worth trip out into the stunning Herefordshire countryside near to the Black Mountains of the Brecon Beacon National Park.

The Monnow Valley Art centre is open to the public:
Wednesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Weekends 2 - 5pm

Entrance to gallery exhibitions is free, but a donation is requested if not visiting the gardens.
Entrance to gardens, sculpture and National Collection of Contemporary Memorial Arts is by donation of £5 per adult (concessions £3) children under 14 for free.

The Monnow Valley Arts Centre   see map
Walterstone
Herefordshire
HR2 0DY

01873 860 529

Calligraphy of paper and stone

For those who enjoy the art of beautiful letterform, be it inked on paper or incised in stone, of both East and Western traditions. You may enjoy to adventure out to contemplate art in a clear fresh gallery space or dwell in nature to enjoy the freedom of wondering between sculptures of wise words.....

From the 4th May to the 30th June 2013

Internationally celebrated Richard Kindersly and Tashi Mannox hold a joint exhibition at The Monnow Valley Arts Centre, majestically located beside the Black Mountains of the Brecon Beacon National Park.

From its purpose built art studio, galleries and beautifully arranged gardens, dotted with scriptural carved standing stones and other sculptural wonders, is a view that inspires greatness and lifts the heart.

Throughout the gardens Richard Kindersly exhibits his calligraphy sculptures called 'Material World'. In this exhibition Richard explores the difference between gestural and geomatrically constructed letter forms. These are skillfully demonstrated as carved letters in sandblasted glass, moulded concrete, wood, steel and paper (sometimes with the same text) to show us how lettering can be used in unusual ways and unusual materials.

While in the studio gallery Tashi Mannox exhibits a collection of works called 'Illuminated Optimism' from his Contemporary and traditional calligraphy series, depicting positive and thought provoking Tibetan Buddhist themes in a medium of ink on paper. Such as his first public showing of 'Hog eats Cock eats Snake' which represents the basic foundation of Samsara and the three aspects of ego: delusion, attachment and aversion, that feed on each other in a perpetual cycle. To remedy this on the path to liberation, Tashi illustrates the classical 'Four Foundations', four topics that are traditionally meditated upon, that lay a firm foundation of right motivation and diligence on the path to enlightenment.

The original Art pieces in the exhibition have been the basis for a series of high quality, limited edition Giclee prints that are also available for sale, making these works accessible to all.

A new embossed mantra art piece also premiers at the exhibition. This piece is the first of a new series of 'ink-less' calligraphy pieces which again demonstrates the diversity of Tashi's talent in bringing the integral tradition of Tibetan calligraphy into the 21st century.

The Immaculate Ushnisha mantra

om padmo ushnisha bi ma le hum phat

གཙུག་ཏོར་དྲི་མེད།

This is a purification mantra that is traditionally displayed on a beam or above a doorway.

It is said that the mantra has the power to bless and cleanse every-time one passes below, and is sometimes named as the ‘mind your head’ mantra.  

The Monnow Valley Art centre is open to the public:
Wednesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Weekends 2 - 5pm

Entrance to gallery exhibitions is free, but a donation is requested if not visiting the gardens.
Entrance to gardens, sculpture and National Collection of Contemporary Memorial Arts is by donation of £5 per adult (concessions £3) children under 14 for free.

The Monnow Valley Arts Centre   see map
Walterstone
Herefordshire
HR2 0DY

01873 860 529

Previous incarnations and new Art

A rare and remarkable old photo of the 16th Karmapa flanked on his right by the 11th Situpa and to his left the 6th Ponlop Rinpoche. 

The photo is believed to be taken in the Late 1940's early 50's near to the seat Tsurpu Monastery of the Karmapa's who is the head of the Kagyu linage.

These three great Kagyu Lamas have since incarnated to continue their linage as realized teachers to benefit all sentient beings. 

11th Tai Situpa Pema Wangchuk 1886 - 1952 > the present 12th Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche.

16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje 1924 - 1981 > the present 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

6th Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche 1925 - 1962 > the present Ponlop Rinpoche.

It is notable that all three present incarnations are great calligraphy artists. The previous Ponlop Rinpoche was also an accomplished Thanka painter, who has continued his talents in a new medium  till the present day.

'Ego' in English and Tibetan,
by Ponlop Rinpoche.

In old Tibet, at the time of the above photo, calligraphy was practiced as a discipline to a high degree, however was not created as a free expressive art-form as it is in the Japanese Zen tradition. It is only through these new incarnate Lamas, who are engaged with communicating Dharma in the world away from Tibet, that Tibetan calligraphy has developed and established a new expression.

'Kagyu' Tibetan calligraphy by
Tai Situ Rinpoche.

Another great Lama and Kagyu linage holder Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and was the first to make this new artistic leap, while establishing Buddha Dharma during the 70's and 80's in America. 

Trungpa Rinpoche created expressive calligraphy art that was a bold and free break-away from the precis Tibetan handwriting styles, followed closely by 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche. Though it is not clear if it was Trungpa who set the new trend or if there was a general awakening of creative expression.

'Dharma' Tibetan calligraphy
by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

If it was not for the brilliance and initiative of the early Tibetan Lamas communicating Dharma, there would not be such a strong and lively practice of Tibetan calligraphy that has established its own place within the contemporary art world.

The late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

11th Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche 1940 - 1987 > the present 12th Chokyi Senge Trungpa Rinpoche. 

Chögyam Trungpa's Profound Treasury of Dharma.

'Ananda' Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Last year Shambhala invited Tashi Mannox to contribute some of his calligraphic illustrations to a new three volume publication based on a collective of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's thirteen years of Vajradhatu seminars and lectures, called the Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma.

The compilation and editing of this material for general publication has taken more then thirty years, resulting in one volume for each Yana, or major stage of the Buddhist path.

"The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma represents Chögyam Trungpa's greatest contribution to Western Buddhism. This three-volume collection presents in lively, relevant language the comprehensive teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist path of the hinayana, mahayana, and vajrayana."

- Available in hardback from Shambahla Media.

That Spurs the Monk

Tashi Mannox speaks of his Childhood inspiration and magic that is insightful to the core of his artistry in Tibetan Calligraphy. 

Tashi as a monk, Samye Ling 1993.

A short film of 7 minutes

Directed, produced and filmed by Brian O'Neill

Edited by Fernando de Juan 

ཆུ་མོ་སྦྲུལ་ལོ། Tibetan New Year Greetings.

Auspicious Good Wishes for the New Year of the Female Water Serpent

2013

༼ཆུ་མོ་སྦྲུལ་གནམ་ལོ་གསར་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་ཞུ༽

meeting old friends

A pleasant and successful launch of Tashi Mannox's exhibition of prints at Cave in London's vibrant Bermondsey Street. A steady stream of visitors entered out of the cold winters night to be welcomed into the warm and colourful show, the air filled with the scent of freshly cut flowers. A glass of wine in hand, this was as much anything, a happy opportunity to catch up with old pals and make new friends.

This exhibition officially runs until the 6th February 2013. Tashi's limited edition prints will be available at Cave there after.

- photos by Matthew Lindén.