The LUXE Art Museum features works by 7 artists Bama Zhaxi, Dezhoin, Han Shuli, Norbu Sithar, Tsering Namgyai, Tsedan Jiumei and Yu Youxin, who make up the exhibition “Past and Present - An Exhibition of Contemporary Tibetan Art 2012”. This exhibition denotes the fifth collaboration between the Luxe Art Museum and the Tibetan Association of Fine Arts. On top of inviting artists who blaze new trails and artists who persevere on their paths, the Museum had also specially included a folk thangka painter in this exhibition. The concurrent display of traditional and contemporary paintings facilitates a lucid survey of Tibetan painting past and present, allowing viewers to discern the continuity in Tibetan painting and the constructive nature of its culture. It also makes for an efficient and vivid overview that fosters an understanding for the arduous journey that Tibetan art had made through its evolution from a sacrosanct art to a secularized, human-centered art.
Tibet sits at a high altitude: aloft, and cold with flimsy air. It is also the place that is nearest to the Sun. It is inadvertent that visitors who had just arrived would get altitude sickness. One experiences a sensation of levitation, and becomes bewildered by the illusion that one is unfettered by gravity. One’s soul seems to break free and finds its way out of its worldly confines, taking with it one’s imagination, that begins to soar into realms of fantasies and illusions that are mysterious and abstruse. No boundaries of any sort exist. When one approaches the appreciation of classical Tibetan art in such a mind state, one is sure to gain a profound and intuitive understanding of its enigmatic paintings, experiencing a joyous, child-like appreciation filled with innocence, reveling in a feast of the eyes.
The Tibetans draw inspiration from their daily lives. Creating their paintings amidst immense high plateaus, their thoughts become detached from the prosaic, and their imaginations leap into the fantastical. Tibetan artists transform their homeland into a unique painting that is sui generis. One could reside in it, and one could wander through it. This land rivals that of the Pure Land (of utmost happiness) and can truly be regarded as paradise on earth. Through generations, the inhabitants of Tibet had lived their lives to the utmost, treasuring their blessings, and exuding a unique enthusiasm towards life. This ardent sentiment runs deep in the same vein as the Tibetans’ exclusive culture and tradition. To this day, Tibet has preserved and kept alive this rare cultural perspective. Anyone who has visited Tibet with an open mind will undoubtedly come away with a heartfelt reflections and lament the glaring difference between the Tibetans and the world without in many areas, including life philosophy, life attitude, and values. Traditional Tibetan painting sowed its seeds in such deep traditions and was nourished in a latitudinous environment that resulted in an art that is unparalleled and sanguine. Such a wonderful tradition has been ceaseless and endured the sands of time, walking steadily upon its path from Tibet’s yester years (of several thousand years ago) and continues to be vibrant and active in the present amongst its people. Nonetheless, the Tibet of today is experiencing rapid changes as it flung itself open to the outer world. Traditional Tibetan culture that is one of content and self-fulfillment is colliding head-on with an aggressive consumer culture and market. The result of this confrontation is a steadfast and dignified tradition that adapts itself to the market. Take for instance the example of traditional Tibetan painting, the thangka. This classical art form that finds its roots back in the seventh century has finally succumbed to commercialization in the 21st century. The intriguing part is this: the establishment of thankga, through its development and its commercialization, had always been propelled by revolutionary impulses.
Tibetan painters were also pious secular devotees or monks. They whole-heartedly abide by the regulations delineated in the Buddhist scriptures that govern the character and conduct of the painter; they regarded painting as an act of utmost merit, a channel that conveyed the earnestness of their religious belief. In the past, the act of painting was akin to that of a religious ritual: an auspicious date had to be picked, and before the creative act was begun the artist had to undergo a cleansing ritual; incense was burned and sutras were chanted. During the preparation of the sketch, the patron of the painting would make generous offerings, and play religious music to signify that the spirit of the deity had been captured onto the painting. After the painting had been completed, a specific sutra had to be written in calligraphy on the back of the painting, in the same position where the main Buddhist deity had been depicted. A consecration ceremony ensued, wherein a lama would have been invited to chant the sutras and bless the painting. The painting of the deity was then perceived as spiritual and sacred, and regarded as an object of worship. In recent years, thangka painting shops that specialize in specific schools of painting have opened for business. The master ateliers and his students demonstrate the art of thangka painting in the shops, omitting the solemn religious rituals. The sale of one’s creative work is a commercial act tied in with one’s trade. With the adaptation to the demands of tourism, the survival space of this traditional skill had been expanded. It is likely this adaptation became impetus for the transformation of traditional thangka’s creative philosophy, bringing about a transmutation of this art form, radically increasing its potential as a commercial work of art. The sacrosanct principle of traditional painting had finally broken loose of its tethers, mortal beings and the deities alike were able to enjoy “sweet dew that pleases the eye.” The discovery of this phenomenon in Tibetan art brings surprise and elation.
The Contemporary Tibetan Art today shows due adequacy in the degree of openness. Artists are free to choose their subject and adopt an artistic style of their calling. There is freedom to pursue and embrace the various avant-garde “isms”; here one can almost witness the reactions and responses towards almost every artistic style or school that can be found in the world. Contemporary Tibetan painting steeps in a media saturated era and an age of consumerism. Its artists enjoy similar rights and freedom as their peers in other locations or who pursue different artistic expressions. Take for example Lhasa, it is an art space that brims with a multitude of artistic styles, formats, subjects, medium and artistic philosophies, and as such contemporary Tibetan painting had enjoyed a robust and unfettered growth. However, the deepest driving force that will affect the future of contemporary Tibetan painting is not the buzz and clamor that surrounds it, but what transpires within the artists: their state of mind as well as the heartfelt effort they bring to their art.
As mentioned above, the tradition of classical Tibetan art has neither ceased nor stagnated. Neither is it xenophobic nor does it seal itself from the outside world. When this unique Tibetan spirit that has deep roots and a long, continuous history is applied in an appropriate manner, it is sure to evolve to a new significance that finds no precedence. Indeed, many contemporary Tibetan artists had benefitted greatly from their immersion in tradition, which nurtured their art creations. When a society hurtles through rapid changes, its culture is often rendered helpless. Tibet’s traditions had already weathered a myriad of challenges put forth by its modernization, how is contemporary Tibetan art to interpret an objective, unembellished face of Tibet in a positive and effective manner? The premise is a realistic and authentic observation of and participation in what the contemporary Tibetans are commonly experiencing in their hearts and souls, and only then can they proceed to engage in an artistic portrayal that conveys their deliberations. Several of the participating artists in this exhibition had responded to this challenge in their oeuvre, each with his unique expression and style; their works sing of the songs reverberating deep in their hearts:
Back in 2008 the Luxe Art Museum in Singapore had mounted a major exhibition “Realms of Purity. Realms of Experience: From Divinity to Humanity, an exhibition of Contemporary Tibetan Art”. The title of the exhibition reveals the academic criteria that the museum used to guide the curation of artists and exhibits. In 2012, the Luxe Art Museum once again hosts an exhibition of contemporary Tibetan painting, pursuing its ambition in promoting contemporary Tibetan art in Southeast Asia. The exhibition is titled “Past and Present: Contemporary Tibetan Art 2012” and is inviting Tibetan artists who engages in a variety of art styles (both traditional and contemporary) to showcase the evolution of Tibetan painting up till the present time.
About the Artists
Bamazaxi (b.1961)
He excels in creating fantastical symbols and spiritual beings, and portrays the extraordinary Tibetan wisdom through his paintings that exude a magical aura. His strokes are bold, decisive, vigorous and gracious, manifesting grandeur in a sea of swirling ink. In addition, his works are accentuated with delicate and detailed strokes, demonstrating his mastery in creating meaningful forms. He is the sole freehand master amongst ethnic Tibetan painters, and revels in letting his viewers deconstruct and solve the riddles in his works; in his words, he is “teasing and playing with you.”
Dezhoin: (b.1976)
A female painter with an untainted mind who weaves fairy tales with her paintings. Her works appear to be “cartoonish” and very “primodial.” Prevalent in her works are beautiful big eyes gazing out into the world, witnessing the ubiquitous beautiful souls. She had taught many blind children to paint, assisting them to use their hearts and souls to behold the light. She is like an angel.
Han Shuli (b.1948)
With precise and meticulous deliberation he assumes virtuosity over the layers of colors on his canvas and heralds the simultaneous progress of the heavenly Buddhist realm with the contemporary times. In hopes of striking a chord with the mortal beings of today, he orchestrated beauty through order. Han truly captures the quintessence of the philosophies of idealism, consciousness and aestheticism. Unique to his works are the ambiance that surrounds the Himalayan culture, radiating a mystical aura like a painted myth. His paintings represent a rare gem in today’s art world: a stretch of high plains filled with enigma.
Norbu Sithar (b.1967)
The Fourth generation in a lineage of Tibetan artists, his artistic acquisition was fraught with difficulties. However he has also drawn up rich experiences in the art of thangka painting and his artistic accomplishment is eminent. With his leadership the “Mensar Sect Thangka Art Development Center” was established, with the aim to carry forward and promote the painting techniques of traditional Tibetan painting, and to propagate the essence of its theories and philosophies, striving to inject new substance in the contemporary “Mensar School.”
Tsering Namgyai (b.1976)
He loves to paint dreamscapes, but the dreams he portray do not appear in those of mundane beings. When he awakes in a start from a dream, and come face to face with the chaotic present, he stills his passionate ideas with detached, objective analysis (this goes the same for his installations). His works tend towards the conceptual but the forms and techniques that he chooses are unusually lively and vibrant. His excellence in the invention and aggregation of symbols in his paintings result in works of a dazzling splendor..
Tsedan Jiumei (b.1978)
Approaching “conceptual art” from the racial and cultural perspectives, his concepts about life and beliefs and the way he had attained his artistic expressions all stem from the tradition and spirit of the Tibetans. Thrown right into the midst of a clamoring world, he exhibits the ability to quiet his mind and focus on the sublimation and distillation of life. The purity in his works reflects a tranquil mind and soul, a sound proof that a “unifying tie” can be made between cutting edge art and tradition.
Yu Youxin (b.1940)
His emphasis is on the cultivation of spiritual perception, and capturing the sparks of inspiration, endeavoring to portray the purity and enchantment that is distinctly Tibetan. His paintings possess a gentle lyricism, which is captured in the silent and majestic landscapes of the snow-capped land that is tranquil like a dream. The world in his painting is elusive, seeming to fade out and disappear in the blink of an eye. He articulates wispy and diaphanous clouds and compacted snow to impeccably accentuate the textural qualities of the dun-colored mountains. His special techniques capture the dignity and grandeur of the landscapes.
