Ithe first time I noticed the Gade works was in Lhasa in summer 2007. Near the Jokhang on the northeast corner of the Barkhor is the Gedun Cheopel Artist’s Guild, an exhibition hall ans coffe shop. By the way I recomend to you if you travel to Tibet. Small place with a wonderful look at the Barkhor, nice people, fresh people and small gallery. In an ambul there were works by several artists, and Gade has a wonderful picture there about comic features. I asked for the work, but it was already sold, there was only an ambul with works. I keep with me a card and the name of Gade.

For a time I forget, but sevral months afterI read an article about tibetan art in AsianArt News and surfing Internet afterwards I found an exhibition in Plum  Blossoms gallery with a selection of Tangkas representing comic features keep my attention. It was a link with the Guernica I had painted by Ron English representing Snoopy and The Simpons, but with a touch from Tibet.

Ron used western icons and Gade used east icons,The Tangka.

Unfortunately all the pieces were sold. For a while I tried to find a work without success. Contacting the gallery in Lhasa I reached the email of Gade and starts an exchange of mails. He, very kindly, agreed to do a work for me. I asked him a New Tangka, as he wanted to paint . I showed him my collection, I explained him the issues of my collection and told him about my idea of put together one of his New Tangkas with a Old Tangka. The contemporary with the traditions, something very related to Tibet, but also to the wester culture.

I had this idea because when I was in Tibet I bought a very nice Tangka, a traditional one representing one of his Budha. The young guide told me about the difficulties to be young and fight with a very though traditions, moreover than fight against the Chinese expansion. And when I saw the Gade the idea came to me naturally, in one hand the traditions, in the other one the new, but integrated in a same way to talk, through a Tangka form, a very Tibetan form.

I had not any idea about which kind of feature he could paint: a Mickey, Spiderman, Superman... Probably any of a comic feature. Any will be ok for me and for the purpose to contrast old against new, tradition against novelty, spiritual against terrestrial...

In the meantime he sent me pictures about his last works for an exhibition in China and they were wonderful, with this comics features, so  I expected the same for my work few weeks after.

But, which a surprise when he sent me the images.  This was my answer to him:

                       “Gade,

                       OOUUUAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       I like it very much, really very much. I do not know how it will look like in live, but this pictures are incredible!

I like  the argument, I like the different things, the composition.... A wonderful complement to a traditional tangka. The            past and today, the spirit and the oppression... It's necessary to look at it closely and with time in order to find any                 idea you had and you painted. One time and another, and probably next time you'll discover another thing. You are               really great.”

I was very excited, really very excited. And I am still very excited. Now, I have to think about how promote him and specially this work that talks directly to us about the sufferance of the Tibetan people. Maybe I will have a lot of enemys, but this work is really powerful.

Thank you very much Gade for offering me this work.