PaintingPilgrimage
AtraditionalartofTibetans,thangkadisplaysBuddhaimages,legendarystories,history,medicine,lifeandproductionmethodsoftheethnicgroup.“Foroccasionslikefunerals,weddingsandfestivals,weusuallyhavethangkapainted,”explainsLhabaTsering,secretary-generaloftheTibetanArtistsAssociation.“Whensomeonedies,hisfamilyfindsanastrologisttodecidewhichBuddhatopaintbeforegoingtothepainter.”
Closelytiedtoreligion,thangkawasoncemainlypaintedbymonks.TheywouldspendmonthsorevenyearsproducingtheBuddhaimagesforworship.ButtherearealsosomethangkapainterslikeyoungDargyeSangpowhocomefrompoorfamilies,andlearnthangkainthehopeofmakingaliving.Thosestudyingthecraftdon’thavetopaytuition,buttheydohavetofeedthemselvesandhelpwithchores.Learningthangkaisahardandtime-consumingprocess,oftenlastingseveralyearsorevendecades.
Actually,sevenyearshadpasseduntilDargyeSangpofinishedhisfirstindependentwork,whichwonthegoldprizeatthefirstThangkaArtFestival.“AgoodthangkapaintermustbeapiousdiscipleofBuddhismandseekgreatreligiousandartisticaccomplishments,”saysLhabaTsering.
BodhisattvawithaThousandArmsandaThousandEyesbyWangduGyaltsen.
ThreeBodhisattvasbyTashi.
SakyamunibyDargyeSangpo.ForDargyeSangpo,paintingthangkaisasacredritualakintoapilgrimage.Beforehepaints,hewasheshishandsclean.Whileworking,heneithereatsnordrinks.Thangkapaintinghasstrictguidelinesforproportions.“IfIfailtofollowthoserulesexactly,notonlywillthepaintingbeconsideredbad,butitwillalsodisrespectBuddhaandbeasin,”stressesSangpo.
MasterAtishabyPasang.
AthangkaofoneoftheheavenlykingsofBuddhismbyPenpaTsering.EvolvingInheritance
Thepreservationofthangkapaintingskillsprimarilyreliesonthemasterapprenticemodel.“Thangkapaintersusuallyretirefrompaintingwhentheyturn40toconcentrateonteachingstudents,”explainsLhabaTsering.“Theextremedelicacyofthangkapaintingrequiresexcellenteyesight,sotheartists’skilltendstodeterioratewithage.”AndonlyTibetanmencouldlearnit.Buttoday,femalesandnon-Tibetansarealsowelcometolearntheart.“Originally,peoplepaintedthangkatomakealiving,”saysLhabaTsering.“Butnow,morepractitionersaredrawntotheartisticauraandreligiousconnotations.”
ForDargyeSangpo,paintingthangkaisalsonotjustaboutputtingfoodonthetableanymore.“Iconsidergreatthangkamastersmyidolsandhopetocontributetotheconservationoftheart.”
“WhenIdiscoveredDargyeSangpo,hehadjustfinishedstudyingthangkainTobgyaiTownship,NamlingCountyofShigatse,”recallsLhabaTsering.“Despitehisyoungage,hisworkstunnedus.Weinvitedhimtojoinourassociationandsubmittedhisworktothethangkacontestinwhichhewonthegoldprize.Now,heoccasionallygoeswithustobigcitieslikeBeijingandShanghaitobroadenhishorizons.Nowheknowsthatheshoulderstheresponsibilitytopassdownanddeveloptheart.”
EventhoughDargyeSangpohasmovedtoLhasaandnowhashisownstudio,hislifehasnotchangedmuch.Sangpodoesnotsmoke,drinkoreatmeat,andseldomhangsoutwithfriends.HespendsmostofhistimepaintingandreadingbooksonBuddhismandart.“Hestillhasroomtoimprove,”saysLhabaTsering.“Wetrynottobotherhimorletworldlythingsdisturbhim.Weonlyinvitehimoutforimportantoccasionsoreducationalevents.”
SakyamunibyKonchog.ManytalentedthangkapainterslikeDargyeSangpoaresupportedbygovernmentsatalllevels.“Fromatradetoculturalinheritanceandthentofineart,themeaningofthangkahasevolvedovertime,”opinesLhabaTsering.“Wearehappytoseethathappen.”
KingGesarbyLhabaTsering,TseringWangyelandPhuntsogTashi.
ManjusribyShaluWangdu.ReasonableCommercialization
Thangkahasalwaysbeenpopularwithbothdomesticandinternationalartfans,butonlyafewpeoplecanappraiseathangka,leavingthemarketindisorder.Becauseoftheboomingmarket,somehaveproposedthatthangkabemassproducedtopromotedevelopment.
“Thangkashouldnotbecontrolledbycommercialforces,”saysLhabaTsering.“Traditionplacesgreatvalueoncomplicatedtechniques,religiousdevotionandTibetanaesthetics.Massproductionwouldonlyproducedecorations,notart.”
Thangkaboastslastingbrightcolorsbecausethepaintsarecreatedfromlocalmineralsorplants.“Eventhepaintscannotbemassmanufacturedyet,”continuesTsering.“Additionally,thecontentisassociatedwithBuddhism.Forexample,thereareruleslaidoutinBuddhistclassicsaboutwhichobjectscanbepositionedinfrontoftheBuddha.AndindividualinterpretationsofBuddhistscripturescannotbeduplicated.”
Thankstotheongoingthangkafever,moreandmoreyoungTibetansaretryingtheirhandsattheart.Someuniversitieshavefoundedthangkadepartmentsandmastershaveopenedartstudiostoteachtheskill.Manythangkaworkssellforloftyprices.“Bothgoodandbadthingscomealongwiththeflourishingmarket,”Tseringadds.“Thepricecanindicatethatathangkaisextremelywelldone,butthemarketalsoinfluencesthepainters.Theyshouldnotbemotivatedbyprice.”
ShaluWangduspentthirteenyearsonthethangkapaintingTheTenthPanchenLama.“Everyday,IjustpaintedwhenIfelttheurge,”hereveals.“Iwashonoredandhappytopainthim.”
“Thiskindofworkispriceless,”saysLhabaTsering.“Actually,respectforBuddhaanddevotiontoBuddhismarethegenuineinspirationsforthangkapainting.Artistsshouldpursuequalityoverprice.”
AthangkaofoneoftheguardiansofBuddhismbyKhedrupGyatso.
AthangkaofoneofthemastersofBuddhismbyTseringChodrak.