Gere is the most conspicuous of the so-called celebrity Buddhists, a position he has used to make known the suffering of Tibet under Chinese oppression and the tragedy of Tibetan exiles, including his friend and teacher, the Dalai Lama, but it will come as a surprise to many that Gere spends an equal, if not greater, amount of time behind the camera as he does in front. His haunting black-and-white photographs are presented with much fanfare in this beautifully produced volume, and they do not disappoint. Just as Gere's travels throughout India, Nepal, and Tibet determined his subject matter, his spiritual practice served as the source of their unusual and evocative energy. Gere's painterly photographs capture the motion that occurs even in stillness, and they possess surprising depth; the longer you gaze at them, the more you see. Some are detailed; others explore the stark contrast between shadow and light, and all subtly evoke the contrast between the cruelty of the Chinese army and the compassion of Tibetan Buddhists. Donna Seaman
Synopsis
Richard Gere has pursued and developed an interest in photography since childhood. This is a volume of the photographs he has taken in the last 15 years of his friendship with and study under the Dalai Lama. They document his trips through India, Nepal and Tibet, and his own spiritual journey.
