Until mid-Februay 2018, the famous Parisian bookstore & gallery La Hune is hosting an exhibition by Matthieu Ricard. A Buddhist monk, Lumix photographer and brand ambassador, writer, and doctor in cellular genetics, Matthieu Ricard discovered Asia during his first trip to India in 1967, when he encountered great spiritual Tibetan masters, before settling down in the Himalayas in 1972. Today, he lives mainly at the Shechen monastery in Nepal. The exhibition, a true invitation to voyage and contemplation, offers a generous perspective, full of wisdom and serenity, on the landscapes and the daily life of Himalayan people.
Having become a Buddhist monk at age 30, a close disciple of great spiritual masters, and a fluent Tibetan speaker, Matthieu has enjoyed privileged access to the private life of Buddhist monasteries, spiritual leaders, nomadic communities, as well as to the most remote sacred places and natural sites. Always on the lookout, throughout his travels, he has never stopped bearing witness through his photography to the daily life of the local populations and to the world around them.
“A hymn to beauty, that’s what photography means to me. Over the fifty years I spent in the Himalayas, I was incredibly lucky to share my life with great Tibetan masters such as Kanguiour Rinpotché and Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpotché. I was able to observe their exceptional qualities as well as discover the daily life of the Himalayan people and the wilderness of these tall mountain ranges. My goal was to share with you the beauty, the power, and the depth of their world,” said Matthiew Ricard.
Matthieu Ricard also takes this opportunity to dedicate the totality of his revenues to the humanitarian association he created, Karuna-Shechen, which is responsible for over 200 projects In Nepal,India and Tibet in the fields of education, healthcare, and social services. In 2016, Karuna-Shechen provided assistance to more than 300,000 people. In parallel, Ricard’s latest publication, Un demi-siècle dans l’Himalaya—offers an overview, in text and images, of the artist’s photographic work since his first journey to the East.
As this article was being edited for publication, we have learned that on Thursday, November 16, a fire broke out in the gallery, devastating both floors. This is a tragic loss for the Quartier Saint-Germain and for all photography lovers.
Matthieu Ricard, Un demi-siècle dans l’Himalaya
September 30, 2017 to February 28, 2018
La Hune
Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés
16, rue de l’Abbaye
75006 Paris
France
