Maharishi collaborates with Buddha-Dharma artist Tashi Mannox on an array of artworks and embroideries for Spring / Summer 2024 Pre, welcoming the Lunar New Year in celebration alongside Maharishi’s 30th anniversary.
Dharma art aims to evoke the vast wisdom of Buddhist teachings. Thought, brush, ink – their timeless marriage unfolds everyday in the quiet studio of Tashi Mannox. After completing a degree in fine art, Tashi had joined the Kagyu order of Buddhist monks, studying with them for 18 years.
A disciplined mind, free of expectation and fear, is the most important of a Dharma-artist’s tools. Rising early to meditate before approaching the day’s task with openness and humility is as much a prerequisite of his art as brush and ink.
Tashi has developed a unique style all of his own. Timeless and contemporary, his work blends the universality of Buddha-Dharma with the innovation and wry humour of contemporary practice.
Artworks have been translated across hand-machine embroideries and are printed on organic cotton T-Shirts/sweats. Below are the originals arranged with certain silhouettes, original artworks from Tashi Mannox will be exhibited at Maharishi London in January 2024.
Abundance Dragon
Especially created as a celebratory insignia of Maharishi’s 30-year anniversary of fine tailoring – which auspiciously falls on the year of the Wood Dragon 2024.
Posed head-on amid rainbow clouds of warm and cool hues, which are further illuminated with fine line detailing of mica pigment.
The dragon’s lower limbs grasp wish-fulfilling jewels. While held, presented above, is a golden bullion tray - heaped generously with a variety of precious gems, a symbol of prosperity.
The dragon itself is a rich yellow speckle patterned with flecks of gold leaf, which also illuminate the eyes to glare bright.
The style of this dragon holds all the attributes of the Karma Gadri school of Tibetan art. For many years Tashi apprenticed under a master of this tradition Sherab Palden Beru.
Striped Temple In The Clouds
Nestled in the heavenly hold of a Tibetan rainbow cloud is the iconic Maharishi temple logo.
A badge representing the collaborative artistry between Maharishi and Tashi Mannox, to mark the 30-year anniversary of Maharishi’s tireless productivity.
Descending Dragon
Created explicitly for embroidery, this dragon bares a bold lively character of colour and movement.
This rendition is more typical of dragons found on heavy silk brocades, which are designed intentionally simpler and more abstract in detail, to accommodate the weaving and embroidery patterning and thread colour.
Tibetan Qing Inked Dragon
For the Far Eastern philosophy, the Dragon is considered the most powerful of all mythological beasts. Symbolic of the elemental forces which govern the changing seasons, and fashion the changing forms of nature, through water, wind and fire, to hide or reveal precious substances.
An elaborate Qing Inked Dragon, in delicate tonal washing of ink and refined detailing, was initially inspired by the highly evolved style of the Qing Dynasty. As Chinese art influenced East Tibetan art, this developed the gracious painting style known as the Karma Gadri tradition, of which Tashi trained as a young monk.
Rainbow Cloud-study, vertical
A collection of vertical cloud designs in varying different colour combinations and forms.
Such stylistic Tibetan rainbow clouds represent miraculous heavenly manifestations. Found as wall decoration in Buddhist temples of the Far East, classical designs that mimic silk woven brocades of China and Japan.
The construction and colour combinations have a set code and harmony, where each colour-set is organised from dark to light that occupy proportionate balance. The rule of separating cool and warm colour groups is carefully considered to deliver harmony to the overall composition. Each cloud colour-set is finished with a fine lined outer edge, in a bright lustre of mica ink. This catches in the right light reflecting conditions, to shine magically – every cloud has a silver lining.
The top most cloud holds a wishful-filling jewel.
Video: Philip Skoczkowski
Audio: Everything is Record · Autumn Equinox - Falling Flowers
Images: @tashimannox tashimannox.com