The painter and critic born in Tibet remembers his random but enriching way in the field of art
By: The informant
12 April 2022
See web with the artist's works:https://www.pemarinzin.com/
Pema Rinzin. The artist has been in charge of spreading the art of Tibet, a mission that considers complicated but possible.
Photo: courtesy
Although the Popular Republic of China annexed “peacefully” to Tibet to its territory, in 1959 was that the rebellion that would mark -to be defeated- The end of that nation, Although not their culture; So things, Although Internet sites mention that territory as the place where the painter and critic Pema Rinzin was born, The truth is that the artist establishes that “I was born when my mother escaped from Tibet, the usual route was through Nepal, but I think I was born in the small kingdom of Bhutan; Then we crossed to India”.
Now, India was a place for those fleeing Tibet, especially after hosting the Dalai Lama and some of his relatives, in 1959; The painter says that “many Tibetans had a very bad time in the following years.”, The government of India provided land for those who escaped, many were sent to the South to starve or, near the north, They were used in road construction work.. The children, however, sent to Dharamsala, to school”.
Training is collective work
How the Dalai Lama was greatly interested in the education of children and the preservation of the culture of Tibet, inaugurates the great Tibetan Children's Village school (TCV), Rinzin refers, “with thousands of children; one of them was me, I was educated there. Very young, I was interested in studying Tibetan art, because there were no schools that taught it, despite having artists of enormous prestige -Khepa Gonpo, Kalsang Oshoe and Rigdzin Paljor-, Some taught at the TCV School and upon completing primary school I began to study there for 4 years".
That time, the artist notes, reminds you of the Renaissance, for the number of masters of Tibetan painting gathered in a space to train young generations; but, Rinzin indicates, “I was young and wanted to be recognized as a teacher, So I accepted a job teaching drawing classes for animation.; I taught them to make cartoons, We didn't have many books in the library but there were comics and, besides, magazines, we made colors (like the impressionists). And I worked there for eight years.; in a school where everything is done by hand and together (students and teachers), with group support for those who have fewer resources”.
In full youth, when “all change is good”; the artist tells: “I took advantage of an opportunity to go to the United States, to study realistic painting, which I thought was useful for what we were doing in Tibet. From Indianapolis to New York, I visited many museums and saw many paintings, and all the artists with names and from multiple countries and cultures, but none tibetan. And that made me sad.".
Back to Dharamsala, “Thanks to a Japanese friend who studied with us, I learned the discipline”, comments Rinzin, "after, I had my first exhibition in Germany, solo, But then I realized that they barely knew about the existence of Tibet., it was difficult, but I received a letter from Japan, My friend invited me to join a project - the Shoko-ji Cultural Research Institute, in Nagano- "which lasted eight years.".
Time after, thanks to the Tibetan art collection of an interested billionaire, “A museum was built in the Chelsea Center -New York-; There I made friends with academics who listened to me (when many don't) and I worked as an art critic. Many museums had collections of Tibetan art, but my willingness to work with them came up against administrative changes, people who wanted to impose categories on a free art, of different styles, even if the patrons were religious, or as we say today: The basis is philosophical”.
Much to do
Without hope or energy, with almost 40 years above, Rinzin, “I thought it was my last chance.”; I came into contact with street artists who went to my school - the New York Tibetan Art Studio- and , pessimistic and without savings, I asked for help to get my green card., to work, and I got it in five months. There I started doing contemporary art and, although there is a lot of abstract painting in New York, In my work many technical elements and Tibetan culture are appreciated., and thus bodies of animals - birds appear, pieces- that reflect humor, the earth, ornaments, water or clouds. Like in the West, we also have sophisticated artists. And after almost 3 years (until finishing a certain set of pieces) I had my first exhibition, first in a group and shortly after alone”.
The sad thing is, after all, the painter confesses, “that despite appreciating the art of Tibet, The names of those who carried it out are unknown.; besides, there is no where to access classes about it, there are no books or courses. And to do it, we are far from reaching an acceptable level, Tibetan painting is based on the line and must be practiced for years. The young, born in the United States, they want to learn their culture. But support is lacking, does not exist. And the artists have no jobs, and few scholars are really interested in it, most are selfish. “There is much left to do”.
About the creator
The artist, maestro, critic and curator was born in Tibet, although he grew up in India, and in his youth he studied at the Tibetan Children's Village School (TCV). He later studied with master artists Khepa Gonpo, Kalsang Oshoe and Rigdzin Paljor, of 1979 a 1983.
Thereafter,, Rinzin worked as a teacher at another TCV school, en Dharamsala. Of 1995 a 2004, He was a resident artist and teacher at the Shoko-ji Cultural Research Institute, in Nagano, Japan. Of 2002 a 2005, He divided his time between Japan and Würzburg, Germany, where he was artist in residence at Brush & Color Studio.
November 2005 to October 2008, Rinzin was an artist in residence at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he founded the New York Tibetan Art Studio; and is represented by Joshua Liner Gallery, from Chelsea, New York (USA).
MQ
