R o b e R t P o w e l lWatercolor Paintings

h i m a l aya s , a n g k o r , c h i n a

2008–2010

G a l l e R y

Robert Powell, born in Sydney in 1948, studied humanities and architecture in Australia. He came to Asia in 1974 and was in India when Ladakh was opened to foreigners for the first time. He spent 7 months there documenting its Tibetan Architecture. That experience was the beginning of a lifelong exploration of Asian cultures, inspired by their material manifestations and especially their traditional architectures.

Since then he has lived and worked in Asia, mostly in the Himalayas, in Nepal, India, Pakistan and also China and Japan. Since 2004 he has been based in Thailand and has begun a series of paintings from Angkor, and the south east Asian region. His sketchbooks, measured drawings, and photographs from more than three decades in Asia continue to inspire current works. His paintings and drawings have been exhibited and published widely and are the subject of two books.

Major solo exhibitions have been held at:The Freer & Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.The Zürich Ethnographic Museum, ZürichThe Patan Royal Palace Museum, Patan, Nepal

Robert Powell’s work is also represented in public and private collections including: The Zurich Ethnographic Museum, Zurich Trudy Styler and Sting, LondonThe Patan Royal Palace Museum, Patan, Nepal Bill Bensley, BangkokDonna Karan, New York Dr Hiroshi Nagahara, KyotoDr. Mary Slusser, Washington D.C. Julia Chang-Bloch, Washington D.C.Christina Ong, Singapore John and Berthe Ford, BaltimoreHamid and Fatima Hakimzadeh, London Anthony Aris, LondonJohn Stewart, Bangkok

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f o R P R i c e , ava i l a b i l i t y & l i m i t e d e d i t i o n a R c h i va l P i g m e n t P R i n t s

P l e a s e c o n ta c t

Shane Suvikapakornkul

Tel: +66 2 238 6410Mobile: +66 89 495 5535Email: serindiagallery@gmail.com

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West Gallery, Enclosure 2, Ta Prohm

Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 88 x 107 cm Paper size: 108 x 127 (height x width)

Brahma Temple, Phnom Krom, Angkor

Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 95 x 54 cm Paper size: 119 x 78 (height x width)

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Northwest Tower of Ta Keo, Angkor

Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 72 x 54 cm Paper size: 96 x 78 (height x width)

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Preah Palilay, Angkor

Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 95 x 54 cm Paper size: 119 x 78 (height x width)

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Linga at Kbal Spean, Angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 54 x 95 cm Paper size: 78 x 119 (height x width)

House with Rock and TawizGabral Jaba, Swat Kohistan, Pakistan

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 90 cm Paper size: 90 x 110 (height x width)

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Qibia Wall Exterior, Mosque at Gabral Jaba, Swat Kohistan, Pakistan

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 40 x 90 cm Paper size: 60 x 110 (height x width)

The Mihrab

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 16 cmPaper size: 90 x 36 (height x width)

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Caves at Drakmar, Mustang, Nepal

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 90 x 70 cmPaper size: 110 x 90 (height x width)

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Cave of the Dakinis

Watercolor, signed. 2008Image size: 110 x 60 cm Paper size: 110 x 60 (height x width); image in full bleed off paper

Detail

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Aghios Georgos (Monastery of Saint George Mantikas), Meteora, Greece

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 90 cmPaper size: 90 x 110 (height x width)

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The Source of Yellow Ochre

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 35 cmPaper size: 90 x 75 (height x width)

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Dream Monastery

Graphite on paper, signed, 2008Image size: 60 x 110 cmPaper size: 60 x 110 (height x width)

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Tarapith, West Bengal, India

Watercolor, signed, 2007Image size: 60 x 170 cmPaper size: 80 x 190 (height x width)

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Entrance to Pashupatinath

Water color, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 25 cmPaper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

Temple Door with Eye

Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 25 cmPaper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

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Window, Hong village, Anhui

Water color, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 25 cmPaper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

Sculptured Brick, Chang village, Anhui

Water color, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 25 cmPaper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

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c ata l o g u e | a n g k o R , c a m b o d i a

While Ta Keo was built at about the same time as Phnom Krom, 10th century, its blue-grey sandstone shows no trace of ero-sion or wear, except for the brilliant yellow streaks of lichen. This stone is much harder than that used elsewhere in Angkor and this seems to be the reason why the temple was never carved, giving the huge pyramid and its five crowning towers a special architectonic power.

northwest tower of ta keo, angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numbered Image size: 72 x 54 cm Paper size: 96 x 78 cm (height x width)

On the exposed summit of a hill overlooking Tonle Sap, the great inland sea, there are three temples dedicated to the Hindu Trinity, Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. The soft sandstone of these 10th-century temples has been deeply eroded by wind and rain, leaving fragments of carving where the stone is more sheltered or resistant.

brahma temple, Phnom krom, angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numbered Image size: 95 x 54 cm Paper size: 119 x 78 cm (height x width)

A Buddhist temple from the 13th or 14th century surrounded by forest within Angkor Thom. It seems that the tower was clad in some material supported from the numerous holes—perhaps stucco or even bronze plaques. The viewpoint is from an imagined level floating high above the ground.

Preah Palilay, angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 95 x 54 cm Paper size: 119 x 78 cm (height x width)

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The sandstone bed of the “River of a Thousand Linga” was carved in the mid-11th century with linga, yonis and deities. This painting is a bird’s eye view of just one small section of the river. Blessed by its passage over these sacred images, the waters then flow down to join the Siem Reap river and the temples of Angkor.

linga at kbal spean, angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 54 x 95 cm Paper size: 78 x 119 cm (height x width)

A towering silk cotton tree is gradually swallowing this inner gallery at Ta Prohm. This view cannot be photographed as another structure occupies the central space of the enclosure, only a few metres from the gallery.

west gallery, enclosure 2, ta Prohm, angkor Giclée print, edition of 50, signed & numberedImage size: 88 x 107 cm Paper size: 108 x 127 cm (height x width)

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The last settlement in the high reaches of the upper Swat valley consists of farm houses made from massive slabs of wood, notched together at the corners and plastered with mud. Coloured clays are splashed on the walls for decoration. The horned tawiz probably contains some written charm for the protection of the fields.

house with Rock and tawiz gabral Jaba, swat kohistan, Pakistan Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 90 cm; Paper size: 90 x 110 (height x width)

Massive slabs of deodar timber are plastered with mud and decorated with coloured clays. A column from another structure has been incorporated into the wall.

The prayer niche has a curious tree like shape with spiraling edges and coloured clay decoration which is reminiscent of a standing goat. It reinforces the general feel of the building as one where the old gods have not been entirely forgotten by the recent converts to Islam.

Qibia wall exterior, mosque at gabral Jaba, swat kohistan, Pakistan Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 40 x 90 cm; Paper size: 60 x 110 (height x width)

mihrab from the mosque at gabral Jaba, swat kohistan, Pakistan Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 70 x 16 cm; Paper size: 90 x 36 (height x width)

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The great sedimentary cliffs of Mustang have been dug into to create cave complexes since prehistoric times. Since the arrival of Buddhism in the 11th century, some have been converted and extended for religious uses. This imaginary painting shows a painted cave that has been exposed by the erosion of the outer cliff face.

caves of the dakinis Watercolor, signed. 2008Image size: 110 x 60 cm ; Paper size: 110 x 60 (height x width); image in full bleed off paper

According to legend the cliffs and mountains around Drakmar are stained with the blood and entrails of a gigantic demoness, the Balmo, who was slain by Guru Rinpoche (Padma Sambhava). Hand dug caves housed a now abandoned monastery.

caves at drakmar Watercolor, signed, 2008Image size: 90 x 70 cm; Paper size: 110 x 90 (height x width)

A 17th-century chapel built into a large cave and hung with colourful scarves to commemorate the founders legend whereby Saint George paralysed the hand of a muslim who cut trees in the Saint’s sacred forest. As propitiation the Muslim offered to the Saint his wife’s yashmak (veil) and so was promptly cured.

aghios georgos (monastery of saint george mantikas), meteora, greece Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 90 cm; Paper size: 90 x 110 (height x width)

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A full range of natural earth colours may be found in Mustang. Here a fissure in the rock reveals a source of yellow ochre.

the source of yellow ochre Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 35 cm; Paper size: 90 x 75 (height x width)

Inspired by the fantastically eroded landscapes and hand dug cave complexes of Mustang, Nepal.

dream monastery Graphite on paper, signed, 2008Image size: 60 x 110 cm (height x width); image in full bleed off paper

At the ancient Devi temple site of Tarapith, Aghori tantric saddhus build shelters and meditation cells on the cremation grounds. To enhance their contemplation of the inevitability of death they sometimes use human skulls for construction. This work is based on a much smaller work completed in the early 1980’s.

tarapith, west bengal, india Watercolor, signed, 2007Image size: 60 x 170 cm; Paper size: 80 x 190 (height x width)

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A neo-classical structure is given a totally Newar context by the inclusion of large carved wooden eyes on either side of the gateway.In the iris sits Lord Pashupati, Siva as protector of creation. The crudely painted bicycles are election symbols for a political party, one of many used because of widespread illiteracy.

entrance to Pashupatinath Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 25 cm; Paper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

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Often stylised and painted on doors, the all-seeing eyes are commonly used symbols for both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal.

temple door with eye Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 25 cm; Paper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

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Intricately carved bricks punctuate plain whitewashed walls of the Ming and Qing period houses of southern Anhui. They usually depict scenes from Chinese operas or famous literary incidents.

sculptured brick, chang village, anhui Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 25 cm; Paper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)

serindia gallery co., ltd. OP Garden, 4, 6 Charoen Krung Road 36, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: +66 2 238 6410 Fax: +66 2 238 6411G a l l e R y

o R i g i n a l Pa i n t i n g s ava i l a b l e f o R v i e w i n g b y a P P o i n t m e n t

f o R P R i c e , ava i l a b i l i t y & l i m i t e d e d i t i o n a R c h i va l P i g m e n t P R i n t sP l e a s e c o n ta c t

Shane Suvikapakornkul

Tel: +66 2 238 6410Mobile: +66 89 495 5535

Email: serindiagallery@gmail.comwww.ser ind iaga l le r y.com

In the World Heritage Hong Village, a Qing period house has a window overlooking the famous Crescent Pond. Above the window is a fading emblem from later times.

window, hong village, anhui Watercolor, signed, 2008 Image size: 70 x 25 cm; Paper size: 90 x 45 (height x width)