Photography by Benjamin Liew
Millions of individual grains of coloured sand are being painstakingly placed inside one of Adelaide’s most spectacular spaces this weekend, as a centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist tradition unfolds before the public.
Inside the Mortlock Chamber, Tibetan monks are spending four days creating an intricate sacred sand mandala, carefully building the highly detailed geometric design grain by grain.
The practice is rarely witnessed outside a monastery and is far more than an extraordinary piece of temporary art.
Within Tibetan Buddhism, the mandala is regarded as a sacred space for meditation, blessing and transformation, with every line, colour and geometric form carrying symbolic meaning and representing aspirations for peace, compassion and the wellbeing of all beings.
Simply viewing a sacred mandala is also believed within Tibetan Buddhist tradition to create positive karmic imprints, inspiring compassion, wisdom and inner peace.
And it’s hard to imagine a more spectacular Adelaide setting to witness it than the Mortlock Chamber.
First opened in 1884, the grand library took more than 18 years to complete, with its soaring glass roof, tiered galleries and intricate ironwork making it one of the most recognisable heritage spaces along North Terrace.
Originally known as the Jervois Wing, the building opened as a home for the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery, beginning with a collection of 23,000 books and just three staff.
More than 140 years later, it remains one of Adelaide’s great architectural treasures, and last year received some serious international recognition when it was voted the second most beautiful library in the world in the 1000 Libraries Awards, decided by more than 200,000 online votes.
The event also comes less than a year after Adelaideans were welcomed back inside the Mortlock following a months-long closure for essential refurbishment works.
The Chamber closed from June until October 2025 while approximately 730 square metres of ageing carpet across its ground floor and stairwells was replaced. Working with South Australian architecture firm Swanbury Penglase, the project was carefully designed to complement the building’s heritage architecture rather than compete with it.
The work even uncovered some pieces of the building’s past along the way, including original heating pipes hidden beneath the floor.
Now, the revitalised Chamber is providing the backdrop for The Compassion Project, presented as part of the 2026 SALA Festival by SALA and the Tibetan Buddhist Institute of SA.
The project brings another form of art, history and tradition into the heritage space, with visitors able to come and go throughout the day and watch as the monks gradually build the mandala.
The painstaking process began on Thursday, but there is still time to see it taking shape, with the Mortlock Chamber open from 10am to 5pm today, Saturday August 29, and from 12pm to 5pm on Sunday.
The experience is completely free, bookings aren’t required and visitors don’t need any prior knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism to attend.
WHAT: The Compassion Project – Witness monks creating a sacred Tibetan sand mandala
WHERE: Mortlock Chamber, State Library of South Australia
WHEN: Saturday August 29, 10am–5pm and Sunday August 30, 12pm–5pm
COST: Free, no bookings required
For more info head to https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/events/compassion-project
