How would ancient spirits experience diaspora?

That’s a question at the heart of a new exhibit opening at the VMFA tomorrow. “Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits” is the first solo museum exhibition for the artist.

“Spirits” sees Tsherin Sherpa explore his journey as a Tibetan American contemporary artist as well as global struggles with loss, belonging, and empowerment. The exhibit is organized as a journey through different chapters of the “Spirits” series, which the artist began in 2009.

Born in Nepal, Sherpa was trained by his father — a master painter himself — in the art of Tibetan thangka painting. He carried his traditional education with him when he moved to California in 1998. Over time, Sherpa began to infuse his work with modern cultural imagery.

At a media preview, Sherpa introduced the exhibit along with its organizer, Dr. John Henry Rice. Rice is the Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the VMFA.

“His art resists simple classifications,” Rice said.

Through his work, Sherpa plays with binaries like sacred and secular, ancient and modern, serious and humorous, local and universal. By tracking Sherpa’s striking + layered visual motifs, viewers can observe the spirits’ evolution.

Although it is his first solo exhibition, this is not the first time Sherpa’s art has been displayed at the VMFA. Three of his works were part of the 2019 group exhibition “Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Towards Enlightenment.”

Two pieces from “Spirits” are in the VMFA’s permanent collection. 40 other works were borrowed from collections around the world and one was created specifically for this exhibition. You can see “Tsherin Sherpa: Spirits” at the VMFA through Oct. 16. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for youth (7-17), college students, and older adults (65+), and free for members.