Bhutan’s Contemporary Art Goes Global With Exhibitions in Taiwan

With exhibitions at several international locations including Europe and Taiwan, Bhutan’s modern art seems to be establishing itself in the global arena. Three Bhutanese artists recently unveiled their individual exhibits in Taiwan. This trio included Kama Wangdi, popularly known as Asha Kama, one of Bhutan’s leading contemporary artists, reported The Bhutan Live.

The solo art titled Sacred Present is presently being showcased at the Dr Sun Yat Sen National Memorial Hall in Taipei. According to the publication, the exhibition ends on May 10. It features some of his recent works of art, including mandalas, the Buddha, and holy dances, among others.

The artworks have been getting good responses from the locals. “Right now, in Taipei for the last two weeks, Bhutan art and artists have taken up a big front page right now, and lots of collectors are interested. And we are praying that it goes well,” Kama Wangdi told The Bhutan Live.

Another reputed Bhutanese artist, Gyembo Wangchuk, debuted his second solo show at Tansbao Gallery last week. A female artist, Zimbiri, also debuted her exhibition in Taipei.

According to Kama Wangdi, she is giving Bhutanese artists a chance to showcase their talent in an international space. Plans are also in the works to promote and exhibit Bhutanese art in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and China. The artist added, “It is late by then, but still, for the next exhibition, it will help us to do better. There is a lot of inspiration, and we get a lot of reality checks. So, it boils down to individual artists, of course, the platform is very important, but we need a body of work to be there. So, we need to work harder.”

Kama Wangdi said that such exhibitions provide artists with a chance to learn, get reminded of the areas they need to focus more on and improve their craft in the future. She emphasises that exhibitions and art shows are very important for such individuals because they allow them to enter a competitive market.