非池中藝術網

不丹，喜馬拉雅山下的香格里拉，譽為「雷龍之國」的佛教聖地。隨著政治經濟的改革開放，不丹當代藝術之父Asha Kama 帶領的藝術新浪潮席捲而來，以悠遠深厚的佛國文化為底蘊，將西方當代藝術融合傳統唐卡技法，為佛國不丹近百年來的佛教藝術發展，開創前所未有的多元新貌。

Asha Kama 1958年出生於不丹普納卡，接受傳統唐卡繪畫藝術訓練10年，後赴英國深造成為不丹首批旅外藝術家，1994獲得肯特郡藝術與設計學院一等榮譽學位。返國後，Asha 為藝壇帶來創新的美學思維與繪畫表現，1998年於首都廷布成立VAST藝術中心，致力於培育新銳藝術家及當代藝術教育推廣，指導超過一萬名有志於藝術創作的年輕人；為表彰Asha在不丹當代藝術教育的奉獻與努力，2010年不丹現任第五世國王授予Asha最高榮耀國家金獎勳章。

“Breaking boundaries through Art”「透過藝術打破陳規」， 是Asha 勇於突破傳統唐卡圖像與度量等藝術框架的理念，他以豐富的色調和詩意的構圖，建構出虛實相生的意象，細膩寫意的線條，勾勒出佛像莊嚴靜謐的祥和神韻，大膽奔放的筆觸層層堆疊出壯闊無垠的空間感，帶給觀者撼動人心的視覺感受。畫作多以佛陀為主體，Asha 一生以創作千幅佛陀為志，期盼透過「千佛之旅」向不丹文化致敬；其他系列的作品則以各式儀軌法舞、轉經輪及曼陀羅為題材，將佛教儀式中的各種元素轉換為當代藝術的獨特語彙。

Asha Kama 被公認為不丹當代藝術的火炬手、啟蒙者，更被譽為不丹當代藝術之父。 Asha 由不丹豐富的文化遺產中汲取靈感，並在當代藝術中培育出獨特的不丹風貌，他的藝術成就可分為兩個層面：一是他的創作無論在技法、觀念與執行上均展現了與眾不同的革新思想，他接受英國90年代前衛、觀念藝術的洗禮，回到不丹後開始力行藝術創作並掀起當代藝術思潮的革命，為藝壇帶來創新的美學思維與繪畫表現，可以說沒有訶莎就沒有不丹當代藝術，其藝術成就已然被寫入南亞當代藝術史的脈絡；其二是他對不丹年輕學子的美學教育與奉獻，身為不丹VAST藝術中心創辦人，畢生致力於培育新銳藝術家及當代藝術教育的推廣，讓國際當代藝術的潮流能夠浸潤年輕學子、為喜馬拉雅藝術史注入全新的核心概念，讓不丹當代藝術氛圍帶來截然不同過往的新境界。

Asha Kama 不僅在不丹享有盛名，更廣泛受到比利時、印度、泰國、孟加拉國、新加坡、韓國、台灣和紐約等地的邀請舉辦展覽。他的作品被不丹王室及國外重要的藝術基金會收藏。近年更積極將不丹當代藝術推廣至海外，讓全球藝術圈認識到這塊南亞藝術的瑰寶，2024年美國魯賓美術館二十週年大展 「Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now.」特別邀請Asha Kama 現地創作裝置作品：「The Wind Horse (Lungta)」並以其作為展覽主視覺宣傳，可見Asha 於喜馬拉雅當代藝術史上不可忽視的重要地位。

Bhutan, the Thunder Dragon Kingdom, is a sacred land of Buddhism that peacefully sits on the Himalayas. With Asha Kama Wangdi as the pioneer who merged Western modernism with traditional Thangka painting techniques, the country of happiness now has a new flag flying in the wind of art.

Kama Wangdi, known fondly as Asha Kama, was born in 1958 in Punakha, Bhutan. Asha graduated from the National Handicrafts Design Centre in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, where he trained to be a professional Thangka painter. He then went to Kent Institute of Art & Design in the UK and was among the first few artists in his country to receive art education abroad. Carrying with him the influences of the Western avant-garde art movement from the early 90s, Asha infused his innovative aesthetics into Bhutan’s art field upon his return, creating a new way of expressing the Buddhist spirit on canvas.

“Breaking boundaries through Art” is Asha’s art creation philosophy. This is also the core concept of a group of artists in Bhutan who free themselves from the traditional grid system of Thangka painting. Utilizing vibrant colors and poetic layouts, these artists create a mixture of abstraction and realism, giving Buddhist art a new face.

Buddha appears in most of Asha’s works; the path-breaker of modern Buddhist art is determined to make a thousand paintings for Buddha to show his respect. Even in a few simple lines, one will still find oneself amazed by Buddha’s compassionate solemness. Layers of hues create a spacious effect for the paintings, taking one on a timeless journey. Asha’s newer series of paintings features Tibetan Buddhist ritual dance, prayer wheels, and mandalas, presenting a comprehensive set of works inspired by Buddhist culture.

Asha Kama is recognized as the father of contemporary Bhutanese art. Without any exaggeration, it is candid to say that there would not have been contemporary art in Bhutan if it were not for him. He not only revolutionized the art scene by starting the inaugural wave of contemporary art in Bhutan but also wholeheartedly dedicated himself to the contemporary art education of young Bhutanese artists. As the founder of VAST (Voluntary Artists Studio Thimphu, founded in 1998), an organization that grooms young artists and promotes contemporary art education, Asha has tutored and exposed more than 10,000 young artists to contemporary art concepts while simultaneously nurturing them to understand and appreciate the value of their native traditional arts. This has imbued the Bhutanese art scene with vitality and cultivated a group of contemporary Bhutanese artists who recognize traditions while innovating, thus elevating Bhutanese art to a new height. In 2010, Asha was awarded the National Order of Merit (Gold) by His Majesty the King of Bhutan, and again in 2016, nationally acclaiming his invaluable contributions to Bhutan’s art education and the larger cultural landscape.

Asha Kama Wangdi is not only renowned in Bhutan but has been widely invited to Belgium, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, and New York for exhibitions. His works are collected by the Royal Family of Bhutan and significant arts foundations abroad.

Actively promoting Bhutanese contemporary art abroad, in 2024, Asha was invited by the Rubin Museum of Art in the USA to create an installation piece titled Lungta (The Wind Horse) at its 20th-anniversary exhibition "Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now" and featured his work at the center of the exhibition highlighting Asha Kama's significant role in the history of contemporary Himalayan art.