Arlys Dockendorff is a photographer living in New York City area. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography from Columbia
College in Chicago and later studied photojournalism in the Master of Science program at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She lived in Beijing for 20 months during the years 1986-1987 where she photographed extensively. In September of 1987 she spent time in Lhasa, the capitol of Tibet, where this collection of photographs was taken.

Arlys Dockendroff Writings
The path leading to the Sera Monastery began under an arbor of overhanging tree branches and ended at a cluster of whitewashed buildings. After arriving there, I found myself entering a maze of small, winding pathways. All around me I observed the everyday activities of monastic life which seemed to continue undisturbed despite my presence. A short while later I encountered two teenage monks who motioned for me to follow them.

Presently we arrived at the section of the monastery where the young monks' cells were located. After climbing a vertical ladder which hugged the outer wall (no small feat, as I was carrying 20 pounds of camera equipment over one shoulder), I was led to their cell, which was a tiny room lit only by one large window. The walls of the room were completely covered by photographs and religious ornamentation which gave the otherwise stark room a rather festive aura.

The two young monks appeared enthusiastic about having a guest. They seemed every bit as curious about me as I was about them. We all conversed in somewhat halting Chinese - I using the rudimentary Chinese that I had learned during my 20-month stay in Beijing and the monks using what they had learned during their formal schooling. Somehow we managed to navigate the difficulties of making ourselves understood across formidable language barriers. In the monks' room symbols of modern life coexisted with those of antiquity, A transistor radio was placed next to a religious painting with each item receiving the same gentle care and respect when it was shown to me.

While life in the Sera Monastery appeared quite remote, a welcome contrast was provided by the easy laughter and open expressions that I encountered on the faces of the young monks. In this monastic setting I saw reflected the paradoxical modern day face of Tibet timeless yet constantly changing.