Avalokiteshvara: Modern Piece

Tibetan monks in exile continue to create statues today using much the same techniques utilized since the early days of Tibetan Buddhist statue making. The Tibetan word for a sculptor is "lla dzowa," which translates as "diety-maker."

Statues of the buddhas, bodhisattvas, great lamas, and saints, as well as of the various types of meditational dieties and Dharma Protectors, were made from a range of materials. The most popular media were clay, bronze, copper, silver and gold. Tibetans didn't work very much with either wood or stone. The reason is probably rooted in history. Tibet acquired its statue-making skills primarily from Nepal, and not from India or China; metal is the substance of choice in Nepal, and Tibet mainly followed the Nepalese tradition.

Metal statues are generally made hollow inside, with the base of the image being left open so that various sacred substances can later be placed inside. An alloy made from brass, copper and zinc is the most commonly used metal. Different tones are achieved by varying the amount of ingredients and controlling the temperature at which the fusion is effected. Often as many as a dozen other metals have been added to the formula in small quantities for various effects.

Text excerpted from the exhibition catalog written by Glenn Mullin and Andy Weber.

Return to OUM Exhibitions Page