Tibetan Artist Gendun Sakal

Boone, NC— Jan.14, 2025 — From Jan. until May 2025, Web Of Light Gallery & Tibetan Artist Gendun Sakal. “A remarkable modern representation of classical Tibetan arts,” said Perry Thompson, Curator of Web Of Light Gallery. “Normally, one would have to trek to New York or Los Angeles seeking out a museum of Asian Art’s for works of this caliber." Gendun was born in 1966 in a nomadic camp in the eastern Tibetan mountains. At age 13 Gendun left his home with just the clothes on his back—no provisions and walked 6 months to Lhasa. He stayed there almost a year until he could make his way to Dharmsala, India where the Dalai Lama was living. After a lifetime of longing to formally develop his natural artistic talents, Gendun baked bread for 2 years in India before qualifying for Dalai Lama scholarship funds and an open seat at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharmsala. There he studied drawing and Sacred Thangka painting. He crafted his skills at art school from 1986-1991. In 1992, Gendun was selected by lottery with 1000 other Tibetan families under The Tibetan Refugee Resettlement Program. He scraped together funds for the fees and fulfilled his dream to come to the USA. He made his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Then In 2006, Gendun became a US citizen. Gendun states, “I felt like a big rock was lifted from my heart, after living a nomadic life…I found a real home.” In 1997 and 1998 Gendun showed his carved Tibetan Stone work and Thangka sacred art paintings at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And, in 2006 and again in 2007, Gendun was an artist-in-residence displaying his work at The Art Institute of Chicago. His dynamic works include hand-painted originals painted on drums, canvas and pieces of wood. His carvings are stunning and expressing different Mudras, symbolic or ritual gesture or pose often resident in Tibetan Art. Gendun Sakal now resides in the mountains of western North Carolina

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