Sacred painting
In Bhutan, thangkas and murals are the main modes of expression of sacred painting. The National Museum of Bhutan exhibits ancient thangkas
alongside its collection of reliquaries. Introduced in the 12th century, thangkas are painted on coated canvases and stretched over wooden frames. Once the canvas has been prepared and sanded, the artist draws a pattern of geometric shapes that will serve as a reference. The mixture of natural pigments, water and glue brings transparency and depth to the colours applied. The realization of a thangka requires years of practice and responds to very precise iconographic canons. Four elements determine the quality of a thangka: iconography, the fineness of silver and gold details, facial expressions and aesthetics. These paintings represent the art of wisdom and compassion and serve as visual aids in meditation. The techniques used to create the oldest murals remain secret to this day. The oldest murals in the country are preserved in the Simtokha dzong.Contemporary art
Traditional art in Bhutan is passed down from generation to generation. In the past, Bhutanese women were exclusively engaged in weaving. Lay people, on the other hand, were busy with agricultural work and had little time to devote to traditional arts. But since 1990 and the opening up of tourism, things have changed. Weaving is booming, making it a profession in its own right. Artists are supported in this way with the creation of a label.
Founded on the initiative of Azjha Karma, the Voluntary artist Studio (VAST) association opened a breach in a country where religious art reigned supreme. Its objectif is to encourage the emergence of contemporary Bhutanese art and to promote it among the younger generation.Since then, other galleries have sprung up. The Vajrayana Art Gallery, in Paro, exhibits bold works that combine contemporary forms and colours with ancestral subjects.
Sculpture
Each monastery, each temple, offers to see superb metal statues, with the effigy of multiple divinities. Sometimes immense, they are made of metal alloys using two techniques, the lost wax being preferred. For large subjects, the artists use the technique of repoussé metal. The metal sheets are first hammered, embossed before being assembled using rivets. Slate is also used as a support for this art. Bas-reliefs show deities engraved with great finesse. Clay statues are certainly the most widespread, which is why Bhutanese sculptors excel in this technique. Sometimes mixed with rice paper to give it a more compact structure, the modelled clay is then dug out and filled with relics, mantras and prayers. At the Royal Heritage Museum in Trongsa, statues of the four guardian kings watch over the North Tower. To deepen your knowledge, the North Wing offers valuable explanations of Buddhism.
