Writing & Conversations
Essays and conversations on art, ritual, belief and the lives of objects across cultures and periods.
Featured
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Lecture for the London Institute of Tibetan Studies
A visual introduction to the extraordinary imagery of Himalayan Buddhist art, exploring symbolism, sacred geography and the role of mandalas in Himalayan Buddhist traditions.
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Objects are more than surviving artefacts: they are witnesses to human lives. This essay explores how paintings, sculptures and everyday objects preserve the beliefs, memories and experiences of the people who created them.
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Monsters gather at the boundaries between worlds. Human and animal, natural and supernatural, protective and dangerous, their impossible forms have guarded thresholds, embodied threatening forces and given visible form to beings that could not otherwise be seen. Following these creatures through art across cultures and centuries, this essay asks what the monsters people imagined can reveal about the worlds they inhabited.
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Fire has played a central role in ritual traditions for thousands of years. Through archaeological discoveries and historical objects, this essay explores why flames have remained such enduring symbols of transformation, remembrance and the sacred.
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Article for The Collector
An accessible introduction to four major Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana, Zen and Vajrayana. Exploring some of their central beliefs, practices and histories.