The Land of No Heroes is Tsering Nyandak’s first solo show at Rossi & Rossi since 2008, and features the most recent paintings by the Lhasa-based artist. Nyandak's works are personal reflections on life in Lhasa and the changing landscape of contemporary Tibet.

These poetic images are imbued with metaphor and ambiguities that present the complexities of life in contemporary Tibet. The paintings are scattered with subtle references to Tibetan culture, in the custom made and hand-carved wood frames, and in the use of traditional Tibetan motifs. The floral imagery can be interpreted as a metaphor for the recent self-immolations in Tibet; the Tibetan word for flower, me-tok, can be translated literally as “tip of a fire”.

The figures are depicted in desolate landscapes or against an expansive sky, and while presented as sad and alienated, a glimmer of hope remains: flowers sprout from bricks, balloons and umbrellas float unrestricted through the sky.

Image: © Tsering Nyandak, Rossi & Rossi