Penelope Gan | Photo Blog just some cl!cks by me …
Culture
Chaam Atsaras
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Phodong Monastery – Sikkim, INDIA
Similar to other religious theatrical performances in other parts of the world, Atsaras (jokers) plays an important part in Chaams. Their movement in the dance are not governed by any religious rule but rather they are granted considerable freedom of movement up to [...]
Kagyed Mahakala Chaam
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Phodong Monastery – Sikkim, INDIA
The Kagyed Mahakala Chaam (dance of the Great Protector) is performed by monks on the same days across a few Kagyupa monasteries in Sikkim, Ladakh and Nepal in honour of the Mahakala after seven days and night of rigorous reading of the Buddhism [...]
Vandalism | Art
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – {some}backstreet – Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
“I think graffiti writing is a way of defining what our generation is like. Excuse the French, we’re not a bunch of p—- artists. Traditionally artists have been considered soft and mellow people, a little bit kooky. Maybe we’re a little bit more like [...]
Malaysian Chinese Opera
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Performers Backstage – Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Chinese opera has been reduced to nothing more than an incidental ‘performance’ limited to temple celebrations and festivals that are often associated with the spiritual need to appease and honour deities. Couple with poorly constructed makeshift stages, unhygienic living conditions, worn-out costumes [...]
Sculptured Dough
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Jonker Street, Malacca, MALAYSIA
Sculpturing with dough is a folk art that is a dying tradition and little known off outside China. Based on known written records, dough sculpturing is believed to have dated back to the Han Dynasty (206BC – AD220) where they were made as sacrifices [...]
Raising Wind Horse
© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh, INDIA
Luang Ta. It ‘carries’ the ‘Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment’. Hence, it is the most prevalent prayer flag flown.
Found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surroundings, prayer flags is apparently unknown in other branches of Buddhism [...]