The aim of this panel is to present varied voices of contemporary Asian Buddhist artists living in non-Asian, non-Buddhist societies. Art historians are now questioning some of their own methodologies of interpretation. This is particularly true with regard to new categories such as peoples in diaspora.

The reasons why Buddhist artists in diaspora feel compelled to express the faith of their original heritage in their works are best explained by the artists themselves. To break new ground in the study of contemporary Asian art, the panel will include four Buddhist artists living and working in non-Buddhist countries. The panelists include a Japanese American sculptor-educator, a Japanese Canadian interdisciplinary artist, a Tibetan Australian painter and a Laotian American architect.

The task of each presenting artist is to show examples of her or his own work and to explain those works from a personal point of view. This explanation can include information about country of origin, relation to the adopted country, and problems or challenges experienced working in diaspora.

The panel will reflect the broad scope and vitality of contemporary Buddhism and how it lives on in diaspora around the globe. It should also set a model for the new century which will allow scholars to better understand a growing and ever more complex phenomenon. It is hoped that this panel will spark much discussion, and will help displace outmoded misconceptions about ‘Buddhist Art.’

As a Buddhist Vajrayana practitioner and artist, there are many challenges I face. There are vows I have taken, which forbid public use of certain imagery, and text. I struggle with models of vastly different values and priorities which are not inter-changeable. For example, the first fifty years of Japanese Canadian contribution to the arts in Canada has largely been excluded by art historians who did not consider ikebana or the aesthetics of Japanese gardens as art. It is one of the reasons why Canadian history does not reflect the cultural diversity of its population. The model creates ‘other-ness.’ It is a mono-cultural model that doesn’t include in-depth understanding or values of those ‘other’ contributing cultures. Having grown up with this model, I have experienced its limitations and advantages. My challenge as an artist is to create work that reflects a healthier balance of both my inherited cultures, of integration between my artistic and spiritual priorities. My Buddhist practice is changing my perception of the world and my understanding of human nature. It cannot help but change the direction of my art.

As a visual artist, the best way of processing my personal and familial relationship with Buddhism is through my artwork. My most recent work is an ongoing series of painted bent-wood wall sculptures that are intended to be experienced as multiple identities (like Rorschach ink-blot images) embodying, among other references, Buddhist Mudras. This "template" of Buddhist iconography has afforded me a rich source of metaphor for an ongoing visual dialogue about appearance and essence. Buddhist imagery and teachings have also helped me find the connections between faded familial traditions, and the transitions and adaptations of my grandparents and parents.

My paper will further detail the use of Buddhist references in my artwork, and outline key problems I face including questions of legitimacy, and unwanted perceptions of my work as "Asian."

As a young man, I was introduced to a traditional Tibetan Thangka painting teacher and studied with him in Nepal. Normally, students live, study, and earn a living with their teacher for life; however, I trained intensively for three months. Thereafter, I earned my living in Nepal painting traditional Thangkas based on Tibetan Buddhist deities. These paintings are used as tools for meditation and follow strict iconographic rules.

Living in Australia gives me a free, yet challenging, environment, due to the absence of a supportive Tibetan Buddhist culture that would purchase my paintings. Western audiences view my work from a totally different perspective, so it is more difficult making a living here than in Asia. Exposure to a wider variety of techniques and materials lets me be more experimental. Influenced by Australian scenes, I often incorporate native flora and fauna within varying backgrounds for the traditional deities. I have also had the opportunity to work collaboratively with a Western-trained Australian artist.

In 1985 we settled in America. I received my early art and architecture training in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. I graduated from Syracuse University School of Architecture with the Alpha Rho Chi Medal Award. My primary thesis is based on the transformation of Laotian Buddhist practice in terms of Buddhist religious iconography into architectural form to develop a Laotian Community Center.