What’s in a Bodhisattva’s Bag?: The Italian Chapter

Prologue: What’s in a Bodhisattva’s Bag? is a playful and intimate opening to the larger project, *The Bodhisattvas’ Urban Odyssey*. Here, Bodhisattvas are imagined not in temples, but at the threshold of travel, deciding what to pack before stepping into the world.

The works blend sacred symbolism with contemporary culture: Avalokiteśvara carries Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags, merging Buddhist tradition with the cultural icons of France and Italy. The result is a series that traverses the boundaries of sacred and secular, reverence and humor, setting the stage for their odyssey across global cities. 

In The Italian Chapter, Avalokiteśvara prepares for Italy with a Gucci bag. The sacred vase and willow branch are placed next to lotus flowers, jeweled ornaments, and everyday items of a traveler — a Pure Land passport, a camera, a sleep mask — all infused with Buddhist decorative motifs. The blend of spiritual symbolism and Italy’s fashion icon reflects reverence, playfulness, and cultural dialogue.