1986 Tibetan Monk - Thuptan Wangchuk, Lhasa

Made in Lhasa in 1986, this photograph depicts a modest temple interior where religious devotion and political tension subtly converge. The monk, seated on a wooden platform and holding ritual objects, is illuminated by natural light from a window that highlights his expression against the shadows. The dense background, consisting of a shrine adorned with offerings, portraits, and a visible photograph of the Dalai Lama, signifies both spiritual significance and the era's restrictions.

Rather than isolating the monk, the composition integrates figure and space, allowing the room to become an extension of identity and belief. The image serves as both a portrait and a document, recording a moment of quiet resilience within Tibetan religious life in the 1980s.