WHAT
Featuring a number of artworks and artefacts from the Himalayas – Bhutan, Nepal, India, Afghanistan, and Tibet – viewers get a taste of history while also witnessing modern day creations influenced by the artefacts. Showcased is ‘The Lioness’ (1483), depicting two turbaned Samarkandis’ tribute of the magnificent beast to the Chenghua Emperor (r. 1464–87) of the Ming dynasty. The carpet works of Tsherin Sherpa, a Nepali artist of Tibetan descent, are also featured. Created from Tibetan wool and Chinese silk, his carpets are filled with folklore and other imagery that are highlighted together with the Himalayan antiquities.

WHY
For history buffs, ‘The Lioness’ illustrates an event recorded in history, and also the workings of the imperial Ming dynasty’s tribute system, in which a network of trade, ritualistic and diplomatic exchanges existed between the Emperor of China and other various Asian heads of state. For viewers interested in the intersection of history and modern art, this exhibition is perfect: fabricated from highland Tibetan wool and Chinese silk, Sherpa’s textiles derive inspiration from folklore, religious tales and cultural symbols of the Tibetan plateau. The resulting works reflect Sherpa’s approach to contemporary art, one in which tradition and modernity are in constant negotiation.