A hidden temple's forbidden art, captured once before it vanished forever.
In 1981 Professor Namkhai Norbu, returning to Lhasa after more than 20 years, made the first photographs of what were then considered the most secret images of Tibet, the 18th-century murals of the Lukhang, a small temple located behind the Potala Palace which contains what has become known as the Sistine Chapel of Tibetan Buddhism. An esoteric wunderkammer, the images of the Lukhang present a panorama of Tibetan culture in the 1700s and an authentic visual guide to enlightenment. The exhibition brings together a selection from the over 100 photographs made by Prof. Namkhai, luminous reflections, that Rinpoche captured, fleeting moments that represent all that remains of some of the murals of the Lukhang, treasures now lost.
Cinematography
Luminous 1981 photographs that feel alive.
Direction
Popov lets the images breathe, no rush.
Director
Alexander Popov
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Namkhai Norbu was a revered Dzogchen master who smuggled these images out; he died in 2018, making this footage of his narration precious.
The Lukhang murals were politically suppressed and physically deteriorated; these photos may be the clearest record that exists.
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