This week’s guest curator Dan Vo (LGBTQ museum tour expert) chose this statue as it helps him explain the diverse understanding of gender and sexuality of many ancient communities. He says “From around the third century this Buddhist figure took a journey from India across the Himilayas into China, and then eastward into Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Over a course of a thousand years the bodhisattva was androgynised, incorporating male and female characteristics, and went from being known as Avalokitesvara, Lord of Compassion, to Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy. Some modern transgender and non-binary people see this transition as a potential proto-trans narrative, and feel it is possible to see their lived experience represented by this figure. It feels apt that a bodhisattva who serves as a reminder that we should live compassionately, should also be associated with trans and non-binary people.”

You can catch Dan’s tours featuring Avalokiteshvaras – and many many other objects – at the V&A, Fitzwilliam Museum and at the Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd (National Museum Wales).