A brushstroke of traumatic memories on display
Monday, 27 August 2007, 3:02 p.m.
A young Tibetan artist born and bred in Tibet shares his traumatic experiences through numerous works of art. (Photo:Sangay Kep) |
Dharamshala: If pictures can speak louder than a thousand words, paintings cannot be any different.
The intricacies and nuances of human emotions, thoughts, beliefs or ideas that are so often indescribable in words, can be conveyed in a single brushstroke of a master painter.
Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche reiterated this at the opening of a contemporary art exhibition by Sonam Lhundup on Saturday here at the Tibet Museum. The exhibition will remain open until 6 September.
Kalon Tripa said that the new breed of modern Tibetan artists has elevated the ancient Tibetan art from “a traditional craft” to a work of art in every sense of the word.
In the riotous profusion of modern Tibetan artists, the paintings of Sonam Lhundup stand out as trailblazers.
Lhundup defines his paintings as cathartic expressions of an ordinary Tibetan, who has suffered for years under the Chinese rule.
He hopes that the series of similar exhibitions that he plans to stage in various metropolitan cities of the country will create mass awareness on the actual realities inside Tibet.
The Tibet Museum hosted a series of art exhibitions in the recent months, with many more exhibitions in the offing. One of its main initiatives of the museum is to provide a platform to young Tibetan artists to showcase their artworks.
The Tibet Museum is a part of the Department of Information and International Relations. It was established in 1998 to serve as a remembrance of the loss of Tibetan culture and lives; to collect photographs and life histories of Tibetans; to present the hopes and aspirations of the Tibetan people.