Contemporary Tibetan art comes to the fore

A group show of Tibetan art takes place at Volte Gallery, Colaba, Mumbai.

The show in collaboration with London’s Rossi & Rossi is is entitled ‘Beyond the Mandala’. It looks to reorient the status quo as far as Tibetan art is concerned. Its founder-owner Fabio Rossi states that India is the natural destination for talented Tibetan artists to thrive, with all sorts of past & present connections.

Echoing the view, Volte director Tushar Jiwrajka has been quoted as saying, “Contemporary Tibetan art comes from a culture very much in India’s vicinity, and a socio-political based here is essential to India.”

The mandala represents an ancient tradition. It’s one of the most recognizable symbols of Tibetan art. However, it’s no longer a restriction or a cue. Contemporary Tibetan art has been expanding in its scope over the last couple of decades. While the core thrust of cultural expression has been the preservation of its ethos, the contemporary strain in art is amply visible.

It certainly raises one issue whether art from that country is indeed moving ‘beyond’ in a way that perhaps warrants a reassessment. According to the director of Rossi & Rossi, Martin Clist, the mandala is obviously still there, but it’s not necessarily everything any more! The new-generation artists are doing so by blending traditional imagery, materials and techniques with modern influences, forms and media. They are keen to explore current concerns - personal and social, political and cultural.

The efforts to bring contemporary Tibetan art to the fore have been rather disparate. Galleries like the Mechak Center for Contemporary Tibetan Art in the US, and The Sweet Tea House in the UK are taking some steps in this direction. However, there hasn’t been any major institutional initiative for promoting Tibetan art in the neighboring countries - India in particular.

This is surprising, considering the fact the world’s largest democracy houses the largest number of refugees from Tibet. This new exhibit tries to correct the situation and marks an important effort to encourage contemporary art from Tibet in India.

(Image courtesy: Volte Art Gallery & Seven Art Ltd)