Artistic Traditions of Amdo, Summer 2007

Nomadic

2007-07-26T02:25:23Z

Today we leave behind the contemporary travelers lifestyle for a taste of the nomadic life. Everyone in the group has been anticipating this time for a little self reflection as well as a bit more physical activity. Throughout this journey we've had high points and low points followed by plenty of unexpected obstacles. We've laughed together (a lot), cried together (but not too much) and just about everyone has been ill together (boo)...Nevertheless, we have come out on top of every situation as a group, a make-shift family if you will. So I have faith that regardless of our differences each of us can learn a little something from one another and recognize the similarities we all share. This trek will be a true test of character- not only challenging how we function individually but also our abilities to work within a group.

See you on the Flip Side...Addrienne

Cheryl's Photos

2007-07-28T19:33:46Z

The first visit to the stone carver's house for instruction.

Stone carver showing Tauska the technique

The master woodcarver instructing Berkley, Anna, and Romy with translation by our friend and guide Kunchok

Kat's first sketches for thangka painting.

Giuseppe has boundless energy and was not quite happy with this arrangement to start, but it is a cozy place to fall asleep.

The little stools we sometimes use as seats can be quite hard during our Tibetan lessons. Jen found Giuseppe's carseat worked a bit better.

Akuh Dukwa is one of our master thangka teachers and a beautiful soul as you can see.

Gomar partial view of our village

Puntsok is our other master teacher for thangka painting.

Addrienne playing paddy cake

Addrienne drawing

Life in Gomar, living & creating art (Cheryl)

2007-07-31T14:02:45Z

My cozy room

The Gomar Chorten

Berkley wood carving

Berkley detail

Rob and Drakwa sharing some tunes

Jen working on her thangka

Typical breakfast

Tiffany practicing metal work

Berkley being shown excellent technique by the metal worker's daughter.

Addrienne stretching canvas

What is 5 days to you?

2007-07-31T16:26:46Z

5 days to me was an ipod play list (reggetone, Billy Idol- thanks to Emily Lange- Outkast and some R. Kelly). 5 days was the beautiful rolling landscape, sudden rainstorms that can make one stop in a matter of seconds to dig for an overcoat, a poncho and an "umbrella-ella-A-A-A" (Rhiana, you've started something that won't stop). 5 days was also an opportunity to see how vast and rich the world actually is. Green isn't as green until you've seen blades of grass up close, sat in it while resting; all the while fighting a state of delirium and reminding yourself that you HAVE to go on. Black isn't as black until you pack up your tent in the morning only to discover that you've spent the night sleeping on top of a charcoal colored Caterpillar who is now rolled up dead because of your body weight-horrifying, yes, I know.

Language isn't such a barrier anymore when you've gotten your point across- No, I don't want to follow you back to your tent, you young attractive Tibetan man...and the list goes on and on. 5 days makes you think of all your goals and aspirations in life. It makes you start to realize that the picture is way more gargantuan than you've ever expected. 5 days makes you loathe those who can walk faster, jump further and bend more easily than you. 5 days makes you crave for cheese, apples and peanut butter at lunch time. 5 days makes you feel even less than a donkey or mule--the two of you have the same distance to go, only they have more weight to carry and somehow, they always arrive before you do. 5 days makes you rejoice at the sight of the city you left about 7 days earlier...

congratulations, you've made it!

Love Tiffany

Dust and Donkeys...

2007-07-31T16:45:09Z

Trekking Day 1- Leaving the city of Lebrang the crew headed west on a gradual incline that quickly turned into a steep mountain face that still burns the inner lining of our lungs. This was our first taste of what Galen referred to as 'rolling hills'. Reaching the top of the pass left everyone breathless- literally and figuratively speaking. Soon after we met up with our posse of 16 Donkey's + 2 mules and the 'Horse Men' that would keep the wily beasts in check. Down the mountain our odd looking caravan puttered...After lunch and more trekking some of the crew stopped for one of many snack breaks. (Picture this if you will- A big group of Westerners on foot rolling through a nomadic region where the choice means of transport are either yak, horse or motorcycle- not typically your own two feet) Back to the snack break- There we were chillin' when a masked nomad rolled up on a motorcycle, tea kettle in tow, only to find one red headed man surrounded by about 8 very diverse women. Who was more confused??? Was this some harem traveling with their red headed Buddha??? Where was this masked motorcycle riding nomad going with his tea kettle??? Some questions are just too difficult to answer in one lifetime...On to our first camping destination. We find ourselves in what appeared to be a peaceful and expansive valley, complete with a nice stream. Up the tents go and everyone happily moves in to Casa del G-Lab all the while the nomads were getting really close and personal. We think Romy accidentally got married- There was some exchange of a pendant and some dude said I do, we think...We were about to have our first dinner in camp when the yak dung hit the fan. Apparently, we were camping on private nomad property, we missed the do not camp sign back a t the masked motorcycle nomad- we must have been distracted??? The problem was that the nomads were concerned that our 16 Donkey's + 2 mules might eat too much of the grass on the 455,000 acres on which we were residing. After talk of Donkey theft and much negotiation we reached an agreement of some sort and the nomads left with a couple of bucks and we kept all the 16 Donkey's + 2 mules. We then sat down to a now cold dinner prepared by Mr. Song (AKA the Karaoke superstar) and our Donkey's and mules ate all the grass they could eat.

Trekking Days 2 & 3- Not as eventful as day one...but a lot of really nice scenery, some peanut butter, stale bread, cheese, a couple of snickers bars, a few really constipated westerners and a hole lotta rain...

Trekking Day 4- Lots of hills and A LOT OF SUN...Since we were so good at packing up and moving out in the mornings (apply sarcasm here) at the suggestion of someone, we decided to stay at a house in some village about a 2 hour walk from Rebgong, our final destination. So our huge caravan of about 20 people- give or take a few, 16 Donkey's + 2 mules and a TON of equipment roll into a house that had no idea what was about to hit it. It felt a little bit like a house party in high school. Despite much exhaustion everyone managed to give the double dutch jump rope a try- even Mr. Song and some of the 'Horse Men'...but Kunchuk definitely took the title. We had our final trek dinner complete with a bootleg stand-in for apple pie, prepared by Anna...After 4 and a half days of trekking it didn't matter that it tasted more like yak butter than apple pie. After Dinner we had an impromptu Karaoke party with t he 'Horse Men' in whoever's living room. We sang a little Madonna, Sir Mixalot, Dixie Chicks and the theme song to Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The 'Horse Men' followed up with songs in Tibetan and Chinese and Mr. Song even pulled out some sweet moves. After a hilarious evening of entertainment and food a few of us retired to the roof to sleep under the light of the full moon. We are pretty sure Anna burned a hole in her sleeping bag due to the gas of 4 very constipated days.

Trekking Day 5- 12 Westerners, 1 Kunchuk, 5 'Horse Men', a lot of equipment strapped to 16 Donkey's + 2 Mules and 1 large dust cloud stumbled back in to Rebgong. We were greeted by the looks of many bewildered locals. Needless to say we all took really hot showers and slept in soft, well, sort of soft like beds and some were seriously happy to sit upon those things we call western thrones. All in all the experience was our favorite part of the trip...A little hard, a lot of fun, a whole lot of dust and donkeys!!!

Can we get a Tashi Delek!!!
Anna & Addrienne

Update from Galen

2007-07-31T20:41:52Z

Sending some quick news from here in Rebgong, which we returned to yesterday afternoon, on foot all the way into our hotel (where our donkey caravan met us with our baggage). We had an open afternoon for showers, shopping, and email which was followed by a fun birthday dinner for Cheryl with outstanding gifts and an excellent cake. Today we went in shifts to the Laru festival being held in Saji village just above Rebgong town. Tomorrow we will again attend the festive events, but have a choice as to which village to visit. Tomorrow is also Kunchok's birthday, and we plan to have a bowling party for him (much to his chagrin, but no choice, really) in our hotel lobby (yes, there is a 3-lane bowling alley there).

On Thursday morning we will depart Rebgong for the final time, returning to Xining for one last day there. And then on Friday we'll be flying to Beijing and will have a day and a half until the end of our present program's run.

--Galen

Cheryl's photojournal continued...

2007-07-31T21:00:21Z

Michelle preparing canvas

Romy first up the mountain on our short trek to the nunnery.

Sue made it up with Giuseppe on her back. kudos to her.

Tauska on the ferry back from the nunnery

Aka Drakwa preparing some of the canvases on the second level of our home.

Anna's metal work

Berkley working her metal in some local tibetan garb

Tauska working her metal piece

Romy deep in concentration

Detail of Romy's piece

Thangka folks working

Kat and her work

Nick's work

Our house and Ama

Back in Beijing

2007-08-03T19:00:39Z

We reached Beijing this morning by air from Xining. Took in a tour of the 798 art colony today, which was interesting enough to draw the entire group back for tomorrow afternoon as well. Half of the crew will visit the Great Wall in the AM, while the others plan to do some shopping in the painting supply area. We'll then all convene at 798 for some afternoon gallery gazing and then a final group dinner with some of our friends from the art school here in Beijing.

All's well, wicked busy, and I'll be in touch again as soon as time avails itself.

Galen

Beijing Wrap Up

2007-08-05T20:30:43Z

Yesterday we made a good trip to the Great Wall while some others in the group went to one of the painting supply districts. In the evening we stayed in the 798 art scene, had a deorientation and return to home talk, as well as a discussion on the art projects and final show to be held at Pratt Manhattan in October. After a nice dinner together we took in a digital multi-media show at 798, which evolved (or devolved) into a dance party with Addrienne acting the DJ and our crew the center of the circle.

Today was a bittersweet morning while sending everyone off with kataks and demos and 'until next time in NYC.'

Galen

Best from Berkley

2007-08-06T20:13:16Z

How many of you have, since returning: made yourself a cup of hot water, hesitated before dropping your toilet paper into the bowl, swam in the softness of your bed, reveled at the quantity of clothes in your closet and at the quality of your shampoo, the pressure of hot water in your shower, the seemingly endless parade of tall men, the regularity of the dial tone on your phone, and the art/pictures/books in your apartment?

Gone for now are the plates of garlic cucumber slices, noodles with yak meat, rice drenched in oil, squatters, the toilet paper in your pocket, Galen's gold-toothed smile, violent Chinese films playing in Muslim restaurants, the children yelling "Hello!" at you and laughing, multiple monks on motorbikes, Cheryl's orange-pants and encouragement, Sue's super-swing of Giuseppe onto her back, the smell of burning juniper and dust, little stools (the ones you sit on, not the ones that some of use rarely passed :), cheap clothes, red mountains decorated with prayer flags and wooden poles, and people giving you the thumbs up to mean anything to do with "I like" and "Yes".

Although the trip was difficult at times, especially health/endurance wise for some of us, it's from here at home, or closer to it than we've been, that all that we've seen and done can start to sink through us, clearing the murk and helping us to see through to the bottom of this shared experience.

I send my best wishes to everyone and will be thinking of you often,

Love,

Berkley

ps- lol and safety to Adrianne who continues on!

Tashi Delek

2007-08-06T20:21:09Z

Today most of the Global-Lab Crew will return to their homes in the U.S. I have to sit and wonder what will be the most challenging part of their integration back into the lives they all put on hold to take this trip? In my case part of the challenge is the journey home. At the last minute I decided to stay an extra night in Beijing. I also thought that I may extend my trip and go on to another country from here. Why not, right??? I realized, in actuality that the anxieties I am experiencing have been brought on by feelings of not wanting to let go of this journey just yet. After you spend countless hours co-existing with 15 other people and their opinions and their voices in your head it's jarring when suddenly you are granted the space to just be alone with your own thoughts. My thought process went from- 40 days is such a long time to be with all these people, to- I wish it was longer than just 40 days!!! Saying farewell to the group yesterday in the airport brought me to the realization that the proper salutation is never goodbye but rather until next time. Maybe I am being a little sentimental here but I am really going to miss my crew. On the flip side is the undeniable fact that I have a bunch of new friends that understand- on some level-what I just went through.

So what can you learn from 40 days on the other side of the globe??? It brought me back to the basic elements of the experiential senses- sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Everyday over the past 40 I tried to stay very present to each situation we encountered and how I interpreted them through each of the sensory organs. I would try to focus on one or two things at a time otherwise it would quickly become overwhelming to the point where it numbs you. (Being a New Yorker teaches you how to build an invisible wall that is impenetrable by too much stimuli) So I released that mentality and allowed everything to seep in. I think it's similar to the way we experience as children where each day brings a million curious things to explore.

40 days also taught me to travel lighter, consume less and allow for the loss of material possession. When you pack up and take off for a trip like this, if you have never done it before, you may think to yourself," I packed really well, got everything I need." Then as time goes by you wish your bag was lighter and you figure out what you really don't need to survive. I also had to ask myself several times during shopping excursions, "Do I really need this object, or can my experience, memories and pictures do the trick?" I think everyone learned a little bit about the difference between want and need when it was necessary. (Of course I did purchase some pretty cool souvenirs!!!) And then at times many of us were tested by breakage, loss or just general malfunctions of our tangible objects. On the last day of our trip -somehow- I lost my camera. Even though I was obviously upset all I could do was put my hands up, shrug my shoulders and say, "what are you gonna do!!!"

So here it is. The end of the Pratt in Tibet trip. I think it will be really interesting to see how each of us will now offer our individual interpretations of this collective experience through our work. A diverse group of artists went and infiltrated Tibet thinking we may leave some kind of lasting impression only to have the richness of this country, its culture and the people embed its way into our hearts forever!!!

To the Pratt Tibet Crew- Than you all for being you.
Tashi Delek
Addrienne

Welcome Home from the High Country

2007-08-07T01:06:10Z

Dear Kat, Anna, Michelle, Rob, Jen, Nick, Tauska, Tiffany, Addrienne, Romy, Deidra, Berkley, Cheryl, and Sue-

I hope this finds all of you well and returned home or at least somewhere familiar and comfortable in New York.

I made it to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan this afternoon, after a long night of air travel through western China and another round of too little sleep. Fortunately, the weather and pace of things here is as nice as can be, and walking the streets this evening I was inclined to go visit the dentist where I got my gold tooth several years ago (however, I held off on getting a new left-side fang). Also, my friends here have been unable to access the ATM thus far, so the Bank of Galen continues, internationally.

While I did say so at the airport and/or sometime along the ride yesterday, I wanted to thank all of you again for playing your part in making our program in Amdo the success which it was. While there were of course the inevitable bumps in the road, your willingness to experience the new and ability to handle the unexpected made things work as well as they did. We learned a lot, made many great friends, and lived in a way that transcended boundaries of language and culture (despite the situation often being about as different as possible from our lifestyles in North America). This is an amazing thing. And while I know that although some dimensions of the program might not have met or exceeded all of our original ambitions, I trust that you all learned more than you imagined possible about the Tibetan world and their artistic traditions as well as a new thing or two about yourself.

It is indeed my hope that you will continue to learn about Tibet and practice the skills which you gained in our time together in Gomar. Moreover, I greatly look forward to joining you for the Show in October, and just having some time to kick it in NYC.

As we talked a bit about in the cafe at 798, please share as much as possible about this trip with anyone and everyone that is ready to listen and look. New layers of insight and understanding will invariably reveal themselves to you in the coming days and weeks, and with that your experience gains to grow all the stronger. But, and be prepared, there will also be those times that despite your desire and need to talk and share no one will be around (or interested enough or well able) to hear you. If and when those times arise, please feel free to contact me and let me know about whatever's up. I like to talk, and have been in that very position many times before, so write or call anytime.

Also, thanks to those of you who were able to get me the evaluation forms before departure. For those of you that didn't have time to complete them but would still be willing to finish them up, please do so. You can then send them (and/or any photos on cds that you'd be kind enough to share with me) to my home address in Maine.

Finally, feel free (and you're hereby encouraged) to continue to contribute photos and thoughts to the blog. It is a great resource for us to use as long as we desire, and will be an excellent link for getting word out about our computer-based service project as well as the Pratt Show developments and initiatives.

And lastly, if you go out for pizza or sushi in the coming days, please have an extra bite for me, as I'm still eating lots of bread, noodles, and mutton, but now instead of o-cha it's kumys (fermented mare's milk). Yeah.

Be well, keep in touch, and Demo Demo Gwa Te Chay

Thank You and Tashi Delek-

Galen

Our Service Project --Sue

2007-08-23T20:50:17Z

We all are so grateful for the hospitality the residents of Gomar village showed us during our stay there, we were very enthusiastic about finding a worthwhile service project we could make a significant improvement for the village as a whole. Tibetan custom, however, ruled out any simple show of gratitude via physical labor – to allow honored guests to perform physical labor of any type would be extremely embarrassing for our hosts. Other options were limited due to the timing of our stay – just when we were settling into the village routine, the village school started its summer holiday. Teaching a little English there thus wasn’t an option, although in the second stretch of our homestay, a number of our students did teach English to a few local students after the morning thangka lesson.

After consultation with the village leader, Uncle Lembum – who my homestay grandma proudly assured me was a very good speaker (a high compliment in Tibetan society) – requested that we help the village school. He explained that there were about 350 students from the about 450 families in the village’s elementary school, and that their future was the future of the village, the village government and the village monastery. Without the foundation of a broad education, future village leaders, monks and monastery leaders would not be able to make good decisions. He further explained that what Gomar’s village school needed most was computers. They had requested and received money from the local government for building a computer laboratory and two computers. But two computers were not enough to teach a class full of students how to use computers. Uncle Lembum also explained that other villages around the valley had been luckier in finding donors for such things, as their monastery’s lamas had made good connections in rich Han Chinese areas of China. So his earnest request to us was to help with the funding or supply of enough computers for the school’s computer lab (about 30).

]]> Before we left the village, Galen, Cheryl and I met formally with Uncle Lembum, our good friend and thangka teacher Aku Drukwa, the Nyentok Township (the administration level between village and county) Education office leader Namshamjya, and the Tongren County Education Bureau leader, Kambumjya. Fortunately, I have known Kambumjya for more than 10 years, since he was vice-principle of the local Tibetan high school I was living at when I started my dissertation fieldwork research. Our long standing relationship, and our many mutual friends assures a smooth project implementation. We had a long afternoon meeting together in Kambumjya’s office, agreeing on the importance of education for the village children, and that this computer project was a great idea. We also confirmed that there was no special paperwork required because of the involvement of foreigners or foreign funds.

We all agreed that this was a good idea, and immediately began thinking of ways to raise money or find donatable used computers for this service project. We agreed to try to make the October 19 show of the students’ work a vehicle for advertising the opportunity to help our beloved village. We can either donate money (5,000 Chinese yuan (= about USD$670)) or used computers that are still good enough to run Windows XP well. We are still working out the details on how to deliver the cash/computers, but some of the issues are as follows: 1) we are hoping that cash donations made to Global LAB, which as a non-profit organization, should be tax-deductible. Funds would then be pooled and sent to an account directly to my trusted friend and county education bureau chief, Lambumkar. 2) there are some issues with the delivery of even used computers – and we can only accept laptop computers because of the voltage difference -- to China, because of new customs regulations. The easiest and cheapest way to deliver computers would be in person directly to the village. Alternatively, if we can find people to bring them into China, domestic postage should not be prohibitive, and the customs issue could be avoided.

We will be adding updates about the progress of this project – so stay tuned to the blog for more information.

Trekking

2007-09-09T23:33:41Z

We were hiking up our first mountain on the first day of our trek when Kunchuck, our fantastic guide, looked back and brought this rainbow to our attention. A magical and wonderful moment.

This was one of the very pleasant hikes through the "rolling hills in the grassland region"

Mr. Song, our cook, carries Giuseppe and helps Sue, Kat and myself across one of the many streams, some quite challenging.

The donkeys are still with us on this misty morning after last nights situation with the nomads. This same morning all the nomads are on the move.

Deirdra and Addrienne with the moving nomads.

Berkley, Romy and I hiked up to the top of this mountain to add prayer flags Galen had given us. Our flags are the ones on the right and a bit low. The two Tibetans, or Prayer Flag keepers (sitting on the right) didn't seem happy with our work, so one of them climbed the very high pole and raised them up for us. It was a funny interchange.

Our new Tibetan friends. ;)

The Tibetans nomads are beautiful and colorful people.

The group gathered at our hotel in Labrang, just minutes before commencing our trek into the mountains straight from this spot.

Did that really happen?

2007-09-12T11:03:56Z

I am sitting here denying responsibility, talking to no one while my singing bowl from Lhasa adorned with Tibetan inscriptions tells me of a city far away on the other side of the world where people don't have to meet deadlines for studio projects or come up with a concept for a piece of furniture that is functional, yet stylish, that serves two different purposes all the while having a presence in whatever room it occupies....phew!

Welcome back to Brooklyn, welcome back to buses & the MTA. Welcome back to prepackaged bacon (if you're into that), concrete fences, barricades and the idea of the modern, industrialized, metropolitan city. Reality is coming to a halt as I am visited at various times of the day by fond memories of instances my mind tells me only happened a short while ago, but seems more like some far off distant dream-state I've only read about somewhere while thumbing through a vacation magazine on an American Airlines flight from Laguardia to O'Hare...

Did all that really happen? Did I really go to the other side of the world as my first introduction to international travel? (Sorry Berk, Canada is disqualified in this running)... "How was the trip?" So many people want to know...the truth is, it was fine, amazing, wonderful, peachy, hard, annoying, exhilarating, terrifying, unique, arduous, hot, tiring, full of anticipation, scary, fun and just plain old great...all at the same time. How do I convey this? I don't. I usually give the default answer "fine" and just humor folks when they say the want to see "my pictures"- little do they know all
1,500 are waiting on my 12" mac Powerbook G4 in slideshow form just for them, something not even my parents could handle....they retired to bed about half way through.

Tibet was amazing. Actually I have been back since. I know you're saying "but how?", Well not too long ago, I was in Tashisamten's jewelry shop upstairs banging away at my latest piece. They kids were running around eating pickled chicken feet. As usual it was the same old same old. The tassel on the beaded prayer bracelet A-Kuh Drokwa gave me was becoming dingy, so I clipped off the nasty parts...the next day I saw him smiling his same old bright monk smile... a couple of weeks ago I was at the master stone carvers home with the student monks absorbing knowledge and sunshine simultaneously...

Tibet has taught me one thing, that thing is that time and place is idealized and contextual all at the same time- it exists and yet it doesn't exist. These previous instances happened both in what one might refer to as "real life" as well as in a dream state...the "dream-state is what I mention as my second excursion to Tibet-never the less both
instances happened.

I think of my sister in the same sense. I was able to spend the time I did with her here in the earth but now that she is gone from me physically, she comes back to visit me now and again in my dreams...at the end of both sessions either Danielle or about Tibet, I wake up with the same question about the reality and the dream on my mind:

Did that really happen?

--Tiffany