There are two styles of painting in the Himālaya, the well-known Thangka, which follows traditional dimensions and subjects exactly, in which the artist doesn’t put anything of himself into the painting; this is Buddhist art found mainly in Tibet and Nepal.
The second is Paubha, which is both Hindu and Buddhist and used in Nepal, and which started out in a similar fashion to Thangka, but has during the course of the 20th century accepted many influences, especially from western realism, and incorporated them into its art.
This video explores the different styles, and more importantly, the different philosophies behind the art work. The interviewer, to his credit, asks good questions, and let’s the painters speak for themselves. It also looks at how artists are still struggling to get properly trained and make a living out of their work.
The film itself is a bit hectic for my liking, with quick editing, psychedelic graphics, and very fast narration, faster than I could read the subtitles. Still it is well worth seeing and thinking about the issues it raises.
if the video does not appear on the page, try reloading the page; and if that doesn’t work, leave a comment so I can update the page (the comment is not published)
to see an album of screenshots click here