One Bodhisattva, Three Bodies: Avalokiteśvara at Alchi: Eleven Heads, Twenty Two Arms and Three Versions of Compassion

Why are there three depictions of the eleven-headed, twenty-two-armed Avalokiteśvara in a single monument and why are they white, red and blue? In this episode of How Art U, we explore the three Avalokiteśvara images at Alchi. Their unusual forms, colours and placement invite us to look beyond repetition: how did patrons and artists use one deity to give compassion three distinct visual expressions? -- Hosting provided by SoundOn