Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [38]
TSHEMZO (EMBROIDERY)
There are two special categories within this craft. The first are those items which are sewn and embroidered (ranging from clothing to intricate and rare embroidered thangkas). The second refers to appliqué and patchwork items made from stitching cloth together. This includes the large thondrols displayed in the dzongs during tsechu, as well as hats and the elaborate boots worn with the gho on official occasions.
SHAGZO (WOODTURNING)
Skilled wood turners produce a range of delicate wooden bowls, turned with expertise from special parts of a tree or roots. The large wooden dapa (serving dishes), wooden plates, buckets, ladles and phop (small cups), as well as the various small hand drums beaten during religious ceremonies, are among the products of this craft.
DEZO (PAPERMAKING)
The art of making paper from the daphne plant, and more recently bamboo and rice stalks, is under threat from the loss of skilled craftsmen.
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Written works by non-Bhutanese are available as well – notable among them is Beyond the Sky and the Earth by Jamie Zeppa.
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Painting
Aside from spectacular architecture, the most visible manifestation of Bhutanese art is painting. There are three forms of painting: thangkas, wall paintings and statues. A painting is invariably religious in nature depicting a deity, a religious story, a meditational object or an array of auspicious symbols (such as the Tashi Tagye or Four Friends).
Paintings, in particular the portrayal of human figures, are subject to strict rules of iconography. The proportions and features must be precise, and there is no latitude for artistic licence in these works. The initial layout is constructed with a series of geometrical patterns, using straight lines to lay out the proportions of the figure, which are defined in religious documents called zuri pata. In other cases the initial sketch is made with a stencil of the basic outline, which is transferred to the canvas by patting the stencil with a bag filled with chalk dust. Traditionally, paints were made from earth, minerals and vegetables, though now chemical colours are also used. The material is first reduced into powder and then mixed with water, glue and chalk. The brushes are handmade from twigs and animal hair.
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THE FOUR FRIENDS
One of Bhutan’s favourite fables is that of the four friends. In Dzongkha the name of the story is Thuenpa puen shi (Cooperation, relation, four) and it illustrates the concept of teamwork. You will see paintings illustrating this story on temples, homes and shops throughout the country.
The story tells how the elephant, monkey, peacock and rabbit combined forces to obtain a continual supply of fruit. The peacock found a seed and planted it, the rabbit watered it, the monkey fertilised it and the elephant guarded it. When the fruit was ripe the tree was so high that they could not reach the top. The four animals made a tower by climbing on one another’s back, and plucked the fruit from the high branches.
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Thangkas are painted on canvas that is stretched and lashed to a wooden frame. When the work is completed it is removed from the frame and surrounded by a border of colourful brocade, with wooden sticks at the top and bottom used for hanging. Although some thangkas are hung permanently, most are rolled up and stored until they are exhibited at special occasions. This applies particularly to the huge appliqué thondrols that are displayed briefly in the early morning during the annual tshechus. The same iconographical rules apply to the thondrol which demonstrate the skills of the Bhutanese tailors.
The inner walls of dzongs and lhakhangs are usually covered with paintings. In Bhutan most wall murals are painted on a thin layer of cloth applied to the wall using a special paste. Nowadays, old paintings are treasured because of their historic and artistic value; however, until quite recently old wall paintings were often repainted or even painted over during restoration