112 - Matthieu RICARD (Born in 1946)

Matthieu RICARD (Born in 1946) Statue of Padmasambhava facing the Dewikota Valley, Pemakö, India, January 2020 Art print, UltraChrome HDX pigment inks, Epson Premium Glossy paper, mounted on 2mm Dibond 60 x 90 cm Label on the back of the mounting. This exhibition print may show slight marks or imperfections. Proceeds from the sale of this print will benefit the Karuna Shechen Association and its relief programs for victims of the August 26, 2026, floods in Nepal. Statue of Padmasambhava, the “lotus-born master” who introduced Buddhism to Tibet, looking out toward the Dewikota Valley in Pemakö, “the lotus-shaped place.” This extraordinary place is considered by Tibetans to be a “hidden land” (beyul), a term referring to a few particularly sacred sites that are not only difficult to reach but also possess unspoiled blessings. Pemakö is traversed by the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), which, after rising at the foot of Mount Kailash in western Tibet, flows across the high plateaus and then winds around Namchak Barwa, the “Incandescent Mountain of Siderolithic Iron” (7,756 m). There, this majestic river plunges between the mountains and reemerges 2,700 meters lower through gorges impassable to ordinary mortals. It was not until 1998, following eight expeditions, that Ian Baker and his companions finally reached the legendary “hidden waterfall” in the great loop of the Brahmaputra. After China completed its takeover of all regions of Tibet, Pemakö was divided into two parts. The higher part remained part of Chinese Tibet, and the lower part is now part of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, north of Assam. Statue of Padmasambhava, the “Lotus-born master,” who introduced Buddhism to Tibet, overlooking the Dewikota Valley in Pemakö, “The Lotus-shaped abode.” Pemakö is considered by Tibetans to be a “hidden land” (beyul), a term that refers to sacred places that are not only difficult to access but also possess unspoiled blessings. Pemakö is crossed by the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), which, after rising at the foot of Mount Kailash at the western end of Tibet, crosses the high plateaus and then skirts the eternal snows of Namchak Barwa, the “Incandescent Mountain of Siderolithic Iron” (7,756 m). There, this majestic river plunges between the mountains and emerges 2,700 meters lower through gorges impassable to ordinary mortals. It was not until 1998, following eight expeditions, that Ian Baker and his companions finally reached the legendary “hidden waterfall” in the great bend of the Brahmaputra. After China had completed its stranglehold on all parts of Tibet, Pemakö found itself divided into two parts. The higher part remained in Chinese Tibet, and the lower part is now part of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, north of Assam.