‘Allo and Cotton’ painting by Tashi Lama (2025)

Mineral pigment and gold on cotton canvas, dimensions: 21cm x 21cm, unframed (sold without frame).

‘Allo and Cotton’ is part of a 49-piece painting series by 2024 AHF Himalayan Art Award recipient Tashi Lama.

This painting is part of a larger body of work exploring Nepal’s carpet weaving tradition through its botanical foundations. While wool often takes prominence in textile narratives, Tashi has turned his attention to the essential yet overlooked plants such as cotton, allo and natural dye sources including indigo, madder and turmeric, which form the structural and cultural backbone of the craft.

These plant paintings serve both as visual studies and as a way of reconnecting with Nepal’s ecological and textile heritage. Each plant carries its own story within the broader weaving tradition. Together, the series becomes a visual archive honouring the ecological knowledge and cultural memory embedded in Nepali carpet making.

Price guide: $450