Brian Kistler's interest in photography was prompted by a determination to document life in all the Buddhist countries of Asia while their traditional cultures experienced accelerated rates of change. During his travels in Tibet, he collected thousands of images of the country and the people that had captured both his imagination and his soul. Visions of Tibet displays a captivating selection of these photographs, conveying Kistler's spiritual journey from his initial visual fascination with the mountainous landscape, through his growing familiarity with the Tibetan people to his eventual spiritual enlightenment. He became a pilgrim of art, nature, culture and landscape, documenting the holy places he visited along the way and the extraordinary Tibetan people that have overcome decades of invasion, occupation, violent revolution and colonial repression with indomitable spirit. This collection of images is a homage to this beautiful country and the spiritual life with which Kistler made a lifelong connection.

Brian Kistler spent several years travelling in Asia without a camera before entering the Documentary/Photojournalism programme at the International Centre of Photography in 1986. He has contributed work to non-profit-making Buddhist organizations, while this is the first extensive publication of this body of work documenting the life, land, people, and art of Buddhist Asia.

Robert Thurman is a scholar, author and former Buddhist monk. He is the Director of Tibet House in New York