Nor's Mandala

Nor’s Mandala is a new platform exploring the visual cultures of South Asia — from the art of India to the living Himalayan traditions of Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet. A companion to Nor’s Nusantara, it extends the journey from the seas to the mountains, from maritime Southeast Asia to the cultural highlands of the Subcontinent.

Through podcasts and filmmaking, Nor’s Mandala takes a distinctive approach to art — treating it as a living philosophy, a lens through which to contemplate how humanity has long sought order, meaning, and compassion in a fractured world. The series presents the visual cultures of South Asia such as the Himalayan cultural sphere, not as distant or esoteric relics, but as living systems of thought — visual theologies that continue to offer new ways of seeing, being, and belonging.

In the global imagination, the Western canon has long defined what is considered “great art.” Nor’s Mandala challenges this hierarchy by illuminating the sophistication, diversity, and universal power of South Asian visual traditions — from the geometry of mandalas and temple murals to the luminous bronze sculptures, and paintings that reflect systems of faith and philosophy.

Just as Nor’s Nusantara maps the archipelagic imagination of maritime Southeast Asia, Nor’s Mandala invites listeners to enter the symbolic worlds of South Asia, where art is not separate from life but intertwined with living traditions, philosophy, and the sacred. Together, these two sister platforms create a dialogue across regions — tracing how ideas, motifs, and beliefs have flowed between South and Southeast Asia for centuries, shaping visual cultures of our world.

Major Project: Global Peace Prayer Festival: Bhutan and Singapore Exchange

This November, Nor’s Mandala has been invited by the Royal Government of Bhutan to cover the Global Peace Prayer and Kalachakra Festival, alongside leading international media and renowned Berlin-Based Singaporean Artist Choy Ka Fai.

Together, Nor’s Mandala and Choy Ka Fai will collaborate on a special filmic project titled “Cosmic Wander: Special Edition – Global Peace Prayer Bhutan.” Building on Ka Fai’s ongoing research into spiritual and shamanic cultures across Asia and Nor’s Mandala research on South Asian visual cultures, this documentary captures the local perspective of the Global Peace Prayer Festival — featuring participants from diverse walks of life, genders, and ages.

The film will also document a large-scale ritual based on the Kalachakra Tantra, an Indian Buddhist text that reached Tibet in the 11th century. The Kalachakra tradition integrates astronomical and medical knowledge, viewing the harmony between celestial bodies and the human body as essential to human flourishing and well-being.

This film project is conceptualised by Choy Ka Fai and curated by Nor Wang. 

Additionally, Nor’s Mandala will feature a special podcast interview with Mr Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan, internationally recognised for championing the philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH). His leadership emphasising cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and holistic development, has positioned Bhutan as the world’s first carbon-negative nation and a global advocate for climate consciousness. The interview will also explore Bhutan and Singapore relations in the development of Gelephu Mindfulness City, the world's first global model of regenerative, values-based urban development built for mindful living and sustainable innovation.  

Image Courtesy of Choy Ka Fai