While hanging out in the small village of Wutunsi, I happened to meet an artist.  He was the resident thangka instructor at one of the two monasteries for which Wutunsi is known for, and had been studying the Tibetan Buddhist painting style for the past 25 years.  As you might imagine, his thangkas are incredibly intricate and undeniably mesmerizing. 

Like all artists, he is looking to build a global following for his work.  Unfortunately, he has two strikes against him - he is Tibetan, and his art is religious in nature.  Every attempt at putting his work online has been ruthlessly censored by the PRC.  I’ve had my own minor issues with censorship in China, but they don’t begin to compare to the frustration felt by an artist unable to freely express himself.

While I have mixed opinions about many of China’s other policies, I believe strongly in the freedom of information.  So for what it’s worth, here’s my small contribution to the cause:

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His name is Lo San Long Da.  If you’re interested in contacting him about his fantastic collection, send mail to the Wutong Up Monastery near Tongren in the Qinghai province of the People’s Republic of China.