Title of the Artwork: Festival of Faith NO.2 – Gansu, China
Printing Process: ILFORD MULTIGRADE IV RC photo paper, hand-printed using silver halide process
Artwork Dimensions: Height 12 in, Width 9.5 in (the artwork is in perfect condition)
Artist’s Reflection
During the 2003 Buddha Unveiling Festival, I captured these two Tibetan girls in Gannan. The sunlight filtered through the highland air, casting a gentle glow on their unadorned faces—as if the entire joy of the festival had condensed into that single moment.
The first girl’s expression is quiet and contemplative. Her headscarf, earrings, and beaded adornments trace the contours of a rich ethnic heritage. The second girl, on the other hand, beams with open and sincere delight—her joy so genuine it seems to brighten the world around her.
Black-and-white film conveys this simplicity of emotion with greater purity. Stripped of color, only light, shadow, and the essence of life remain. These are the moments I seek in the Tibetan Plateau—honest, vivid, and full of warmth.
Background Story
The Buddha Unveiling Festival is a significant annual ritual in Tibetan Buddhism, during which massive thangka paintings of the Buddha are unfurled under the open sky to receive the veneration of all living beings. In the Gannan region, the ceremony is both solemn and jubilant. Local Tibetans, dressed in their finest, gather with families and elders to worship and celebrate—a powerful expression of identity and devotion.
The girls in these photographs appeared amid that sacred and joyful atmosphere. One stands serene, like a maiden before a Buddha; the other smiles like sunshine over the mountains. They embody traditional aesthetics while reflecting the confidence and vitality of a new generation. For them, the festival is not only an act of faith but a living vessel through which culture continues to breathe and flourish.
