KTRusch

Art Exchange with Express Yourself Milwaukee and Drepung Loseling Monastery, India

In September 2007, the artistic team at Express Yourself Milwaukee working together with youth in the Corrections system initiated a visual art project of painting canvas cloth backdrops. One of the purposes of these cloths was to open an artistic exchange with youth at other EYM sites in Milwaukee and beyond. These backdrops were eventually displayed at our annual show on May 15, 2008 at Marquette University.

One of three cloths made a journey halfway around the planet and back At the Juvenile Detention center in Milwaukee, we painted a border region; the center of the cloth was intentionally left blank. About five kids were in my group. They each worked on a section using paints, brushes, sponges, and woodblocks. We discussed the hope that this cloth would eventually go to a Tibetan refugee community in exile in south India. The kids were intrigued by this idea and asked questions about India and refugees. A feeling of wanting to leave a mark on this cloth, because it would be seen by others in India became a focal point of the session. One youth made expansive spirals to convey the universe. We talked about peace in our lives and in the world. One youth kept asking me, “Is it good enough”? Indeed, it was good enough!

In January 2008, I brought the cloth to Drepung Loseling, a Tibetan monastery in exile in southern India. I wasn’t sure who would work on this beautiful cloth. Soon after arriving, I became connected to Tashi and the youth of Gyapa Khangsten community at Drepung, some of whom walked across the Himalayas to escape the Chinese occupation. Tashi became my translator and we worked on the cloth every afternoon during the week of my visit. Tashi, together with the founder of Gyapa Khansten Tibetan community, Kuchchok Choephel, were instrumental in the painting of the cloth.

At this time at the monastery, special ceremonies and teachings were being given by the Dalai Lama to the inaugurate the new assembly hall at Drepung Monastery in Exile. Every morning thousands attended these teachings and every afternoon, our little group would gather at Gyapa Kangsten and work on the cloth.

On the first day, without hesitation, they decided that the flag of Tibet should be the initial image on the cloth. Next, they decided to paint the slogan of Tibet, OM MANI PADME HUM. This slogan is a mantra, a prayer invoking the bodhisattva of compassion, Chenrezig (in Sanskrit- Avalokiteshvara, in Chinese- Guanyin). The colors blue, red, yellow, orange, and white represent a syllable of the mantra.

A yak, the well-loved animal representing Tibet, was painted next. Then the words “Universal Love” and “World Peace” with a Dove of Peace were added.

Special Thanks to Tashi and friends at Gyapa Khangsten, Drepung Loseling Monastery! Tashi is wearing the magenta Express Yourself Milwaukee shirt. He was very helpful in Tibetan/English translation. “Universal Love” a poem by Tashi was videotaped and presented at our annual EYM show at Marquette in Spring of 2008.

Back in the USA, the cloth arrived at 8th Street school, another EYM site. The high school youth heard about the cloth at the Milwaukee Detention Center, watched a short video of the Tibetans working on the cloth, and then had a turn of their own to paint. Seeing and hearing about the Tibetans and their quest for freedom inspired the kids paint an American flag. Later the word FREEDOM was added and considering where the cloth had been, this really had become a motif of the piece.

As far as the impact of this project, I would say that everyone who worked on the cloth left a mark, heard a story as the project unfolded and then contributed to the story, as the cloth made its journey. Youth who never met each other, learned about each other and their life situations from Detention, to a refugee community, to a high school in Milwaukee. The discussions that ensued as we painted were very positive and enlightening in this cross-cultural pollination of art and ideas. I feel the EYM staff were also impacted in a positive way. We did not know the exact journey that this cloth would take, but we were open to possibilities. That openness allowed for some wonderful art to be created with the youth. It was a pleasure to see the cloth displayed at Marquette University last spring. In the future, we can continue to display this work and discuss its worldly journey. This piece will have a continuing educational value.