Tibetan Page-turner

LARGE, RICH AND INTRICATE, Tibet's ancient murals are renowned for their cultural significance and have been compared by art historians to the Sistine Chapel paintings. But while the latter is an artistic accomplishment celebrated the world over, Tibetan murals don't get even a fraction of that fanfare. Many languish in far-flung Tibetan temples and caves in various states of disrepair, invisible to the rest of the world.

A new book by German publisher Taschen - the Rolls Royce of printing houses - is attempting to change that. Written and photographed by American journalist Thomas Laird, the massive hardcover Murals Of Tibet measures 70cms by 50cms, and is as tall and heavy as a preteen child. But the book's extraordinary size allows readers to immerse themselves in some 300 ancient murals displayed in much of their detailed glory. Some of these murals are as old as 1,000 years and as wide as 10 metres. They contain precious information about Buddhist thought, practices and culture, including images of yoga poses and intentional reincarnation.

Writer-photographer Laird, 65, had visited Nepal when he was a 19-year-old student. He instantly fell in love with the region and decided to live there for the next 35 years, working as a photographer, journalist and Himalayan trek guide. Here in Singapore to promote the book, he says: "The thing that moves me the most about the region is its people. When they take you into their homes, they offer you a cup of tea with both hands and a warmth in their eyes. There's an emotional maturity there that I find missing in the United States."