"Gonkar Gyatso: Pop Phraseology" solo exhibition opens in Hong Kong

This Fall Pearl Lam Galleries Hong Kong presents "Pop Phraseology", a major solo exhibition of new works by the internationally acclaimed Tibetan born artist, Gonkar Gyatso.  Gyatso's personal, political and often humorous work bridges Eastern and Western culture. With a long interest in material and pop culture, the artist often combines references to his Tibetan life with references to the global mass-media culture that is constantly interacting and shaping our current perspectives of cultural identity.  By confronting the undeniable bond between his homeland's religion and politics, Gyatso throws into question what is considered traditional while addressing the many new cultural hybrid identities to which globalization has given rise.

Shangri La, 2014
Mixed Media Collage on aluminum backed honeycomb panel
10 x 10 ft (305 x 305 cm)

The artist characteristically juxtaposes the Buddha - a figure of tolerance - which he uses for cultural and aesthetic purposes rather than as a religious symbol and the geometry of Thangka paintings with Western iconography to express his vision of co-existance. In this new series of works, Gyatso has turned his focus toward phrases found in popular culture. These phrases, generated our of social or political need, are often temporal. In making them the focus of his work, Gyatso creates a tension between the aesthetics of his work and the implicit meaning of the words. As in previous work, Gyatso seeks not to project a specific idea or agenda; each piece serves as a meditation on what it means to be living in a particular place at a particular time.

Exhibition dates: September 18 - October 31, 2014, Mon-Sat, 10am - 7pm
601 -605 Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Hong Kong

Edited text and image "Courtesy of Studio Gonkar Gyatso"