Contemporary
Tibetan Art: its beginning
The emergence of contemporary Tibetan art is a very recent
phenomenon. Unlike other societies where there was a gradual
historical and social foundation, the art scene in Tibet saw
a dramatic change. Some thought that it clashed with traditional
Tibetan culture while others hailed it as a sign of the rapidly
changing society. From a traditional way of looking, understanding,
painting, and creating art, the artists were presenting images
which were previously unseen.
When the political climate became relaxed in the late 1970s,
Tibetans were allowed a certain degree of cultural autonomy.
Trying to rescue of what was left from the disastrous years
of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1977), monasteries were rebuilt,
cultural artefacts were restored, and burned or destroyed
books were republished.
The government also allowed Tibetan students to attend schools
in mainland China. Among them was a group of Tibetan art students
who were enrolled in the Arts Department of the Central Institute
for Nationalities (Zhongyang minzu xueyuan). During their
years in Beijing, the first group of students acquired an
education, which reflected the current trend in all the major
Chinese universities. Subjects, which they learned, ranged
from classical Chinese depiction of art, Western art history,
and introduction into modern art with socialist-realist aesthetics.
Beijing was also a city where they could see Western modern
and post-modern art at first hand. Thus they gained a solid
foundation in classical as well as in modern art. After graduating
from the Central Institute for Nationalities, three students
of the first batch were employed as Art teachers by the Fine
Art Department at the newly established Tibet University.
Among them was Gonkar Gyatso.
The young Tibetans who had just arrived from Beijing were
confronted with their own problems. The artists rejected the
realist depiction of Tibet, which was influenced by a Maoist
ideology but they were also not taught in the Tibetan technique
of paintings (i.e. Thangka paintings). Thus, being Tibetans
but having had a Chinese education and outlook, they felt
that they had to do justice to their own cultural heritage
as well as to their educational background. Their way of expressing
this was in the formation of a new Tibetan art.
What they were trying was to create an image of Tibet, which
reflected the changes in Tibet as well as in themselves. One
of the most pertinent questions was the definition of contemporary
Tibetan art. Was it a subject matter or was it the technique?
How should they represent it?
Some of the artists sought the “easy” way by
choosing religion as their subject. Their thinking was mainly
motivated by the demand in the market but it also fitted with
the overall cultural autonomy which Tibet witnessed at that
time and was therefore well received by the government. However,
in 1985, a group of five artists came together and formed
The Sweet Tea House Artists Association. It was the first
independent artists association in Tibet, which consisted
only of Tibetan artists. Their aim was to create a forum for
young Tibetan artists where they could exhibit their works
independent of state intervention. It became clear that Tibetan
art had received the treatment of folk art and artists involved
in The Sweet Tea House Painting Association were gradually
changing this concept. They were trying to push contemporary
Tibetan art in the mainstream art scene.
A natural disassociation with Buddhism as a subject was visible
and artists were more daring in their use of techniques. The
creation of art now visible by some artists in Tibet shows
that contemporary Tibetan art can and will have a place in
mainstream art.
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