Bhutan Cultural Atlas » Arts & Crafts

Specificities of Arts and Crafts in Bumthang

ping — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:26:57 +0000

The most representative and typical craft of Bumthang are the woollen textiles, made of sheep or yak hair, and called yatra. They are bands, several meters long which are woven today on the pedal loom but until the mid 1950s on a backstrap loom. Yatra are often decorated with brightly colored geometric patterns. Cut and stitched, yatra are traditionally used as blankets, rain coats, sofa covers but today are also made into jackets. Most of the women in Bumthang weave at home but there are now workshops in Chume valley, especially in Zugne village.

Basketry is done in the Tang valley but in the houses as an evening passtime and there are no “professional weavers” places.

Mask making is an art practised in Chhoekhor by specialised men, usually with a religious background. Like basketry, it is a seasonal and supplementary activity practised in the houses and there are no formal place to see the craftsmen.

Calligraphy (yigzo)

ping — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:47:56 +0000

Before woodblocks were introduced as a printing technique, probably in the 14th century, all the religious texts and official documents were written by hand. Calligraphy is therefore an ancient form of art and a scribe has to have six qualities in his writing: perfect shape, uniformity, legibility, speed, spelling and proportions.

In Bhutan there are different styles of scripts derived from the Tibetan script: uchen, umey but the most used is called jyuyig, an elegant cursive.

Also present are the ornamental scripts, such as the Lantsa and the Vartu, derived from Indian alphabets. Before writing on paper, which was expensive, scribes trained on wooden planks covered with chalk.

Casting (lugzo)

ping — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:42:40 +0000

Another kind of sculpture is the so-called “bronze” images, which require specific techniques: wax casting and sand casting. These images are of deities and religious figures and the techniques originated from the Newari craftsmen of Kathmandu.

Wax casting or lost wast casting is more time consuming than sand-casting where a non-permanent rough sand mould is used. In both case the finishing of ornaments and details are done by hand. A good caster has to be skilled in drawing, sculpturing, casting, welding, carving and polishing. Many great religious figures used to cast images and ritual objects.

Sculpture (jimzo)

ping — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:33:00 +0000

In the traditional list, sculpture means clay sculpture.

Bhutanese are famous for the quality and the intricacy of their clay sculpture, representing deities and religious figures. The most renowned craftsmen come from Heyphu monastery (Neyphu) in Paro valley and have worked the world over.

The quality of the image also comes from the mixture of clay and other materials such as paper, used. The mixing ad beating of clay is done by hand and then the artist on a bamboo or light wood framework shapes the image.

Pottery is most of the time included under sculpture although the daily utensils have a simple shape. Women often did pottery.

Textiles (thagzo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:07:05 +0000

Textiles were woven almost exclusively by women. They are made of silk, cotton and wool yarns and can be plain or highly decorated. After a long hand-made vegetal dying process, or the purchase of ready-made threads, they are woven on back strap looms or on pedal looms. The most spectacular weave called Kishuthara includes the brocade technique.

Each pattern and color combination has a specific name and the motives have symbolic meanings. The best weavers came from the East and North-east of the country. They wove, in their spare time, for their family and to pay the textile tax. Nowadays, in urban centres, women have taken up weaving as a profession as there is a market and some men have joined them. The Textile Museum and academy in Thimphu is raising the profile of Bhutanese textiles and is a great encouragement for the weavers

Paper-making (Shogzo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:05:26 +0000

Paper is produced from the daphne and edgeworthia shrubs. It is a lengthy and time-consuming process. The shredded bark is boiled in a large vat before being reduced into pulp and then spread onto a bamboo net. This paper is called tshar shog and is thick, darkish and strong. If the pulp is spread onto a cotton cloth, then the paper is called reshog and is whitish and thinner then the large sheets (A3 size) are dried in the sun and smoothen. Generally these handmade papers are very strong and cannot tear easily.

The sheets were used to write religious texts, official documents but also to wrap objects and were bartered with goods from Tibet.

Painting (lhazo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:03:56 +0000

Traditionally, practised only by men with a religious background as all the art and dedications were religious. Painting, following strict iconographic rules, was mostly done on cloth for murals and banners (thangka) with mineral pigments but since the 1980s, synthetic colours are used and auspicious motives adorn the outside walls and woodwork of buildings and houses.

Masonry (dozo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:02:09 +0000

Cutting and dressing the stones was a special craft practiced by skilled labor but the masons were under the supervision of the carpenter who acted as the architect. It is still the same today. Besides stones for the walls, which come into four different shapes according to their use, masons also prepare flat stones for the courtyards.

Gold/Silver Smithy (trozo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:59:58 +0000

Goldsmiths were attached to large monasteries and to the Royal Family’s courts and used to do works on request for other people in their spare time. Their work included lay objects like ornaments, betel boxes, teapots, offering plates, and religious objects: musical and ritual instruments, butter-lamps, offering cups and plates, and ewers.

Embroidery (tshemzo)

kuenga — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:57:37 +0000

Embroidery and appliqué (patchwork) were traditionally the craft of men with a religious background as these techniques were used essentially for religious or royal textiles. The technique of embroidery came from China via Tibet and was used for banners and ceremonial clothes.

Today girls are taught embroidery and appliqué in the 13 Arts & Crafts School (“Zorig chusum school”) in Thimphu.