Oskar tells us about the new mural around the back of the Buddhist Centre.  Limited edition prints are now available!

The atmosphere at the back of the Centre can sometimes feel a bit edgy, so when Sanghadhara, from Hinterland, the sober bar and café in our basement, asked me to paint a new mural there, a message of love and unity felt especially fitting.

The quote we chose is by Dhardo Rimpoche, one of Sangharakshita’s Tibetan Buddhist teachers who has been very influential within our tradition. The original reads: Cherish the Doctrine, Live United, Radiate Love. These words are engraved on his stupa at Padmaloka, with some of his ashes. I’ve spent many hours circling that stupa, so it feels very special to bring my own version of it into the Northern Quarter.

Prints available

A few weeks on from finishing the mural I’m still feeling really touched by the response. It seemed to create a lovely little buzz, and that felt especially meaningful as it’s the first mural where I’ve consciously brought my artwork and my Buddhist practice together.

Almost as soon as it was finished, Sanghadhara and I started chatting about making a print of the design, and a two-colour screen print is now available to buy in Hinterland! It’s a signed and numbered edition of just 32 prints, printed on lovely thick paper, and they’re £30 each. Half of all profits will go towards the Manchester Buddhist Centre’s retreat bursary fund.

The first time I came across the quote by Dhardo Rinpoche was at Padmaloka Retreat Centre, so it feels only right that this print helps support other people getting on retreat too.