Wellcome Collection, London
In 2015, Wellcome commissioned Laird to create life size transparencies of three whole Tibetan wall murals, painted circa 1700 for the private yoga and meditation chapel of the Dalai Lama. The largest of the three transparencies was 56 x 186 inches, and all were backlit on custom made LED light boxes. The Lukhang Installation was the centerpiece of “Tibet’s Secret Temple” which had more than 120,000 visitors during its 90 day run. The exhibition garnered extensive coverage and reviews in a wide range of media: The Guardian, the Independent, BBC, Getty, London Exhibitions, . The source images for the transparencies for this exhibition were shot in 2012 by Thomas Laird, in Lhasa; renders and final editing by TL.
The Rubin Museum, New York
In 2011, the Rubin, commissioned Laird to create life size fine art prints of six whole wall murals, painted circa 1700 for the private yoga and meditation chapel of the Dalai Lama. The largest of the pigment prints for the Rubin are 56 x 186 inches and all are mounted on dibond. These prints were acquired for the permanent collection and have remained on display since their acquisition in 2011. The source images for these prints were in Lhasa, by Thomas Laird and Clint Clemens, in 2009; first renders by CC, final editing by TL. These prints were acquired for the permanent collection and have remained on display since their acquisition in 2011. Art Daily,
“Life-size facsimiles of an entire sequence of murals from the Lukhang, the Dalai Lamas’ Secret Temple near the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, provide an exceptional opportunity for viewing Himalayan art at its most lavish. …Created with new photographic methods by Thomas Laird and Clint Clemens, this display of large-format, high resolution pigment prints allows for even better access to the paintings than is possible in the temple itself. Their presentation at the Rubin marks the first showing in the world of prints created using this technology, and also provides the first ever opportunity outside Tibet to view life-size Tibetan murals in their relationship to portable art from the region. “The Stewardship Report, March 18, 2011