非池中藝術網

Zimbiri（b.1991）出生於不丹首都廷布，畢業於美國麻省惠頓學院（經濟與藝術雙學位）。Zimbiri 是首位在不丹舉行個展的不丹女性藝術家，她的藝術根植於不丹文化，主要採用Saa-tshen（礦物顏料）和Rhay-shing（手工畫布）等不丹傳統的材料—源自不丹傳統建築外牆的泥土及礦物顏料，這些顏料的穩定性，能夠承受外在環境的光和熱；Zimbiri 在畫布上重現了天然礦物色彩的一致性，這需要進行大量的實驗和實踐才能在作品中有效地掌握並使用。Zimbiri堅持使用不丹在地的原料來入畫賦予了作品真實的質地，更將她的藝術理念與不丹的歷史、文化遺產聯結起來，她的每一件創作都是對於傳統文化的見證與致敬。

Zimbiri 豐富的國際展覽經歷，對於將不丹當代藝術推向國際藝壇起了關鍵作用。她的展覽是一種對話：她的藝術向世界展示了不丹、吸引了多元化的觀眾，使更多人能夠參與並理解不丹豐富多彩的文化。Zimbiri入選2018 年印度《VOGUE》雜誌「全球 40 歲以下最受矚目的藝術家」之一；曾受邀參與印度藝術博覽會（2017 年）、香港巴塞爾國際藝術展（2018 年）、德里當代藝術週（2019 年）及臺北國際藝術博覽會（2022 年）等國際藝術博覽會展出，2020年Zimbiri 代表不丹參展英國倫敦亞洲藝術週（Asia Art Week）年度主題：「印度與不丹」之個展項目。

將傳統不丹藝術形式與當代主題結合的能力使Zimbiri 成為新舊文化之間的橋樑，文化遺產與現代的融合對於不丹持續前進的文化對話至關重要，促進了國際社會對於不丹藝術傳統的深入理解和欣賞，同時更鼓勵了不丹當代藝術對於創新和個人表達的追求。Zimbiri 作品中反覆出現的老虎圖案源自於內在的意義：在她成長的過程中，自我奉獻、謙虛、慈愛和友好始終受到強調和重視；然而，作為一個成年人，Zimbiri開始體會到自信、獨立和實踐自愛的價值—而這些特質藉由創作老虎的過程而完全體現。老虎代表著自愛，同時表明愛自己並不等同於自私，老虎是不丹文化中的一個威武而有力的象徵，它作為藝術家的導師、提醒著她不僅要深思熟慮、更要行動，實踐自愛和自我尊重，老虎已經成為她講述故事、表達思想和提出問題的藝術語言，Zimbiri 的創作希望能夠理解人類經驗以及心靈層面其錯綜復雜的運作。

Zimbiri 的藝術將不丹文化的精髓展示給世界，讓當代主題與傳統工藝融為一體，藉由藝術的融合凸顯了不丹的成長經驗和西方美術教育對她產生深刻的影響；Zimbiri的作品完美地呈現了如何將傳統材料和圖案轉化為當代藝術，更使她成為喜馬拉雅當代藝術界的重要人物。藉由她的作品，Zimbiri鼓勵人們對於藝術採取反思和冥想的態度，她的藝術不僅僅是觀察、更是體驗和內化，讓觀者穿越自己的內在景觀，此種獨特的反思特質與不丹重視內省和靈性成長的民族性相應，讓她的藝術在傳統與現代交織的脈絡中，找到屬於自我的定位和價值。

Zimbiri was born in Thimphu, Bhutan. She went to college abroad and graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, USA, with a double major in Economics and Fine Arts. She is the first female to have ever held a solo exhibition in Bhutan. Zimbiri’s art tells the stories of Bhutan through various facets of her art practice, namely her choice of medium and motif.

She exclusively uses local materials from Bhutan, pigmented earth “saa-tshen” and traditionally prepared canvas “rhay-shing” for her art, lending a more genuine texture to her work. While she used to use acrylic during her college years abroad, she quickly realized the significance of making art with practices of her own culture. To Zimbiri, this is a way to pay homage to the masters before her, those who passed down invaluable traditions yet remained anonymous, unable to mark their mastery with signatures. Henceforward, she uses pigments derived from earth and mineral sources that were traditionally employed for the exterior walls of Bhutanese homes. These pigments possess stable properties, capable of withstanding the outdoor environment's light and heat. Yet, due to their natural characteristics, achieving consistent color when applied to fabric is challenging. Artists require extensive experimentation and practice to master their use in their works. By opting for local materials and practices over those of Western tradition, Zimbiri imbues her work with a native essence, tying her art creation philosophy to the rich cultural heritage of Bhutan. Every piece of her work is a testament to tradition and her effort to preserve Bhutanese culture. Zimbiri’s art carries parts of Bhutan, both physically and conceptually.

The recurring tiger motif in Zimbiri's work carries profound cultural and universal meanings. Not only is the tiger a prominent symbol in the natural environment and religion of Bhutan as well as the greater Himalayan region, it is also intrinsic to Zimbiri. Growing up, self-sacrifice, humility, compassion, and kindness were values held dear. Yet, as she grew into adulthood, Zimbiri began to learn the equally important values of confidence, independence, and self-love—qualities vividly embodied in her creations of the tiger. Zimbiri’s tigers are symbols of self-love, illustrating that loving oneself is not synonymous with selfishness. In Bhutanese culture, the tiger stands as a majestic and powerful symbol. As a mentor to Zimbiri, the tiger gently reminds her to not only introspect but also to act, practice self-love and self-respect. The tiger has become her artistic language for storytelling, a means to convey thoughts and pose questions. Through her art, Zimbiri endeavors to grasp the intricacies of human experience and the workings of the soul, inviting viewers to join her in a journey of understanding and spiritual reflection.

Zimbiri's extensive international exhibition experience has played a key role in bringing Bhutanese contemporary art to the global stage. Her exhibitions are essentially dialogues; her art showcases Bhutan to the world, attracting a diverse audience and allowing more people to engage with and understand Bhutan's rich and vibrant culture. Zimbiri was named one of the "Meet the 40 artists under the age of 40 you need to know about" by Indian VOGUE in 2018. She has been invited to participate in international art fairs such as the India Art Fair (2017), Art Basel Hong Kong (2018), Delhi Contemporary Art Week (2019), and Art Taipei (2022). In 2020, Zimbiri represented Bhutan with a solo exhibition at the Asia Art Week in London with the annual theme being “India and Bhutan.”

Proficient in weaving traditional Bhutanese art forms with contemporary themes, Zimibri is positioned as a bridge between old and new cultures. This integration of heritage and modernity is vital for Bhutan's evolving cultural dialogue, fostering the global community's appreciation of Bhutanese artistic traditions and inspiring the pursuit of innovation and individual expression amongst Bhutanese contemporary art community.

Zimbiri's art brings the spirit of Bhutanese culture to the global audience.

Expressing contemporary themes using traditional craftsmanship, she highlights the impact of her Bhutanese upbringing and Western art education. Her work masterfully transforms traditional materials and images into contemporary art, engaging both eastern and western audiences. This is because, though her art emerges from a strong cultural identity, her themes are deeply relatable regardless of culture—they are universal. Zimbiri invites people to adopt a reflective and meditative approach to art. Her art is not merely about the observation of life but more importantly, the experience and internalization, thus guiding viewers through their own inner landscapes. This unique reflective quality resonates with Bhutan's emphasis on introspection and spiritual growth, allowing her to find individual place and value in the intertwining of tradition and modernity, establishing her as a significant figure in the Himalayan contemporary art scene.