An incredible honor for me, as the theme for the show was my work surrounding the Kudung journey of Shamar Rinpoche, the entailing photo collections, writings and movies that came from this once in a lifetime seven week journey that was to change all our lives.
This was really to affect me deeply, the beginning of a new life - as I somehow transformed from Dharma bum to full time world traveler photographer, solidifying my wishes and dreams to be able to do something of meaning with my life, of purpose and benefit, a big change for my previously thwarted efforts. Being able to honor Rinpoche in this way was such a gift - to display his final journey inside the most beautiful stupa in the world, one that he himself inaugurated in 2003, and to bring to life the story that came from this grandiose adventure is quite possibly the greatest story I will likely cover in my lifetime. Rinpoche was truly loved, from all sides and all corners of the globe, as his unshakeable care for us all was his most cherished trait, he changed all our lives through his genuine and complete compassion, reverence and stern yet always delicate guidance. While his passing was a great loss, it has somehow, unmistakably brought us all closer together in the aftermath. Quite possibly Rinpoche’s final gift to us all, to help us to let it all go and to just simply love each other, to cherish each other, and to become friends with ourselves in this wild and unruly world that is already difficult enough to navigate on its own.
To see my pictures blown up huge and vivid on the walls, my movies projected on a giant screen, and my music echoing in the great hall that is actually the foundation of the stupa itself is beyond explanation. This great feat, this huge undertaking would never have been possible without the incredible generosity and endless support and care of three amazing people. To Maggie Lehnert Kossowski, Anna Kossowski and Galu Kossowski - this great honor is one I will never forget, and you must know that it is directly because of you and your kindness that this was changed from a mere dream to a powerful reality. It was always as much your dream as it was mine, and somehow we banded together to create something that we can all be proud of for the rest of our lives - to honor Rinpoche with all that we have in our hearts, and to share it with everyone is the greatest gift. You have shown me the true meaning of devotion, and to be able to display the work I do with all my heart, in your Stupa that is overflowing with all you have in yours; that is beyond explanation, and I cannot possibly thank you enough.
I wanted to share a few photos from our buildup, a cherished time where we worked like crazy, without sleep, to desperately try and get everything done in time. Now that the gallery will be coming down in two months, I am thinking back to a wonderful time spent making our dream a reality, working together until the wee hours, trying our best to make it all come together, and to honor Rinpoche in any way we could. Thank you so much to Galu for the great pictures, it’s fun to be on the other side of the lens for a change, and to my good friend and constant inspiration, Salvador Magaz for making the time to come, be there for the inauguration with us, and to commemorate this wonderful experience for me.
