Tibet in London, images from an exhibition held 18-24 June 2012

Some month before the exhibition is due to open, building a frame to house the mani wheels, which arrived from Nepal in a crate, and trying to make sure they spin smoothly enlisting all available help to paint the components that will make up the west gate stupa, inbetween the frequent showers of a british summer The artist, hard at work cutting the pieces to make up the 13 discs for the Harmika - top of stupa Cut, glued and ready for painting Working on the individual components on a wet evening in June Impossibly shaped pieces to fit in the van l-r, Su, Jane and Ugyen, happy that it all fitted in at last, and can now think about it staying put during the 115 mile journey ahead ! The start of the transformation Ready for visitors to enter Lhasa, Tibet I tried in many different ways to make my dream of His Holiness returning to a symbolic Tibet, but His Holiness has many demands on his time and unfortunately the closest i got was to hear his inspirational talk at the Royal Albert Hall His Holiness was there in spirit - opening the exhibition with a symbolic entry through the west gate stupa to Lhasa and back to the Potala Palace The exhibition starts with the yak hair nomad tent, home to Yeshi who is about to embark on her own pilgrimage to Lhasa. Her journey will be documented in a video, which will be released later in the year The tent and its accessories, plus the nomadic chuba for dressing up, are always popular with visitors - here London tibetans enjoy They exist as well, although not so keen on the butter tea ! Studying the information displays more visitors making themselves at home spinning for the benefit of all sentient beings Children follow the map outlining the nomad's journey to Lhasa, collecting auspicious sign stamps along the way With a great many thanks to the individuals that sponsored the wheels and other elements of the exhibition - hope you enjoy seeing the results for those that couldnt make it to the event. A selection of traditional thangka paintings adorned the walls To offer incense for purification and removal of obstacles on the journey could you imagine you were really there ?? Obtaining an high res image that could be printed upto 6 metres long was one of our biggest challenges. Contacts inside Tibet were eager to help but the clampdown following the wave of self immolations made it impossible to continue along this route, so almost at the eleventh hour, we are indebted to Ian Cummings, Photographer, who made his fantastic image available. A family poses for a momento pic infront of the Potala Palace Visitors prostrated on the boards before the Potala His Holiness back at home again A very popular part of the exhibition, visitors composing their messages on prayer flags to join the exhibition. If you didnt make it to London, you can still join in online - click the prayer flag messages at top of page Traditional prayer flag installation The stupa was the focal point of the room and the exhibition Momos & Butter tea were served Posing for pictures infront of the stupa Snapshot from the exhibition l-r, ugyen, & superb momo makers, kunsang & yeshi, and tsering The great King of Tibet and the great King of China...have made a great treaty...and agreed on a purpose of lasting good...and happiness for the whole populations. <p>This agreement shall establish a great era, when Tibetans shall be happy in Tibet and Chinese shall be happy in China. <p>Excerpt from the inscription on the west face of the pillar in Lhasa, reproduced here in the exhibition

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