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Herron presents Tsherin Sherpa’s work in new series devoted to international artists and art

For Immediate Release Mar 4, 2020

Important update regarding Wednesday, March 11, and future Herron events:

Due to the rapidly evolving novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, and with the health and safety of our guests in mind, the 2020 Christel DeHaan Family Foundation Visiting Artist Lecture with Tsherin Sherpa and opening reception, scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, March 11, has been postponed until further notice.

Additionally, the following Herron events have been postponed:

  • The panel discussion “Migration: A Force of Nature – A Basic Human Need,” scheduled for Wednesday, March 25.
  • The 2020 Herron Wearable Art Show, scheduled for Thursday, March 26.
  • The 2020 Kerry Dinneen and Sam Sutphin Visiting Artist Lecture with David Klamen, scheduled for Wednesday, April 1.

If you have questions, contact Herron’s Office of External Affairs and Communications at or 317-278-9430.

The following is the original story from March 4, 2020:

INDIANAPOLIS – Opening March 11, IUPUI Herron School of Art and Design presents “Metamorphosis: Recent Painting and Sculpture by Tsherin Sherpa,” the first of a new annual exhibition series dedicated to contemporary international art and artists.

”Tsherin
Tsherin Sherpa, “Spirits (Metamorphosis),” 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 49 1/2 inches by  83 1/2 inches.Image courtesy of Tsherin Sherpa

Tsherin Sherpa, a Nepalese artist of Tibetan descent, has studied traditional thangka painting since the age of 12. He achieved international recognition in this painting tradition, exhibiting across the U.S., Europe and Asia, and began to explore his own style after immigrating to California in 1998.

Today, his work merges Western popular culture and classical Buddhist iconography to investigate the dichotomy found where sacred and secular traditions and worlds collide.

“Metamorphosis: Recent Painting and Sculpture by Tsherin Sherpa” features seven new artworks that have never been seen outside the artist’s studio in Kathmandu, Nepal, along with other recent work. The exhibition runs through Apr. 25 and is presented with support from Rossi & Rossi. In conjunction with the exhibition, a fully illustrated catalog will be available this summer.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Sherpa’s work to Indianapolis,” Herron Galleries director and curator Joseph Mella said. “This exhibition will allow visitors to enrich their understanding of Tibetan Buddhist heritage within the context of the artistic practice of a truly international artist.

“What is particularly captivating when viewing Sherpa’s art is that while he draws on the timeless traditions found in the art of the Himalayas, he produces art that bridges cultures in new, surprising ways.”

Also on view in the Herron galleries from March 11 to Apr. 25:

  • In the Marsh Gallery: “Hope & Loss – A Border Elegy” features recent work by Herron alumna Beatriz Vasquez, who received her BFA in 2006. Vasquez pushes the boundaries of the Mexican folk-art technique papel picado to address the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. This exhibition is supported in part by the IUPUI Welcoming Campus Innovation Fund, with additional support provided by the IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute.
  • In the Basile Gallery: “The Bed and My Moon” reveals Brooklyn-based artist Adam Milner’s installation of 27 photographs drawn from an archive of almost 4,000 images he has taken of his bed upon waking, his daily practice since 2009, with seven silvery cast replicas of the moon created while Milner was in residence at Herron. The exhibition brings together two distinct, singular bodies of work for the first time.

An opening reception for all three exhibitions will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 11 at Eskenazi Hall, 735 W. New York St., with in-kind support provided by Sun King Brewing. Visit HerronGalleries.org for more information on exhibitions, talks, gallery hours and parking.

Related public programming

Tsherin Sherpa talk, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 11 in the Basile Auditorium. Hear directly from Sherpa about his practice rooted in traditional thangka painting and his Tibetan identity.

“Migration: A Force of Nature – A Basic Human Need” panel discussion, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 25 in the Basile Auditorium. Explore local impacts and responses to the U.S.-Mexico border crisis, as well as the roles of artists and arts organizations in creating social change in their communities, during a conversation with exhibiting artist Beatriz Vasquez; Terri Morris Downs, former executive director of the Immigrant Welcome Center; Elia Irene Sanchez Ibarra, director of crime prevention at Lawrence Police Department; and Kavita Mahoney, manager of Garfield Park Arts Center.

About the Herron Galleries

Since 2005, the galleries at IUPUI’s Herron School of Art and Design have served as a vibrant site of exploration, participation and learning. Herron’s galleries continue to be an innovative educational forum for diverse audiences by providing direct and meaningful encounters with art and artists through a wide range of curatorial projects and public programming.

Media Contact

Herron School of Art and Design

Whitney Yoerger

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