“At third grade for the first time I was praised by my Tibetan teacher because of a drawing and from then on I started loving art. During school times I didn’t particularly like listening to the lectures, I would always stay at the back bench, but I always drew, be it during my leisure times, class periods or assembly time. It helps me to forget about the thought of loneliness for a short period of time.”
“The message I want to convey for the artists would be to be true to yourself and specially to artists who draw, don’t draw to impress others but draw for yourself, have patience and don’t give up easily until you reach your limit to improve yourself. Let your emotion express and don’t bury your trauma till it will hurt you more.”
–Jigme Choedak, Tibetan exile artist
Introduction
On 25th August, a new art exhibition opened in Dharamsala, India at the Old Tibet Museum, next to the 14th Dalai Lama’s temple here. The exhibition launched by Khadog Arts (Khadog means colour in Tibetan) is being held until 27th August in memory of the life and art of a the 26 year old talented Tibetan artist, Jigme Choedak who suddenly and tragically passed away, seven weeks ago. As has been reported in the news, the monsoon rains have hit the state of Himachal Pradesh particularly hard these last two months, with over fifty deaths, destroying many houses and roads with landslides and flooding. According to eyewitnesses, Jigme was tragically carried away by a whirlpool undercurrent, only days before a new art exhibition with his artworks was due to be launched in the area.
The art exhibition opened at the Old Tibet Museum on 25th August. The advertisement for the exhibit states:
“A Tibetan Artists’ Collective presents its first exhibition – Khadhok which means ‘colour’ in Tibetan. This exhibition is dedicated to Jigme Choedak (1997-2023), popularly known as JC, to celebrate his life and art. JC and his artist friends Tenzin Melak and Tashi Nyima originally scheduled the art exhibition for the weekend before he passed away. In the lead up to his 49th day since JC’s untimely demise, we want to fulfill one of his wishes through this exhibition.
JC was a very talented exile artist and cartoonist, whose works were driven by a deep passion for the observation of the nuances within Tibetan culture. Apart from that, he worked with many organizations on various projects and founded his own art studio named Genyik Studio. His friends remember him as a kind, compassionate and an honest human being. In his life, he wished and aspired for better opportunities and recognition for fellow artists in exile. JC dreamt of creating a platform where young Tibetan artists can showcase their work and be
acknowledged.
This exhibition is a step towards achieving his dream. Khadhok showcases artworks by Jigme Choedak aka JC, Tenzin Melak and Tashi Nyima. Several other Tibetan artists are donating their artworks for an auction in the name of JC and a part of the proceeds will go towards JC’s family. “
Jigme’s section of the exhibition was curated by his German girlfriend, Lea who also gave a speech about Jigme today. The fundraising live online auction website (which contains eleven original pieces of Tibetan art) to accompany it, was launched on 24th August 2023. Lea explained that she had chosen the poems and statements written by Jigme that were interspersed with the works. They are also selling some large prints of Jigme’s works for 1000 INR at the exhibit itself, as well as some prints of the other artists, which can be signed by them at the exhibition itself. Free bookmarks with one of Jigme’s artworks on them are also being given to visitors.
One of the most striking statements in Jigme’s exhibit for me was ‘Untrashing the Misfits’ with its both pessimistic and optimistic undertones, summing up well the purpose and tone of Jigme’s vision and work. A misfit who spoke publicly about his heartbreaking loneliness abandoned as a child at Tibetan boarding school for many years, whose drawings such as ‘How Do I Make it in a Shit Society’ of a young man staring alone in his bedroom at drawings of the Tibetan Buddhist symbol of the eternal knot, reveal his personal (yet universal) struggles as a young man, and a materially poor artist. Combined with the gentle and youthful optimism and humour of his other works such as Moody Monks, Moody Weather, and classic portraits of Tibetans and revered inner qualities, Jigme shows us all how to make it in such a society. Take what other people think is abandoned, useless ‘trash’ and make it come anew with life with colour, creativity and conception. In fact, the whole exhibit is a testament to that spirit of resilience, passion, courage and creativity of all the artists exhibited and who kindly donated their works to raise money for Jigme’s family members.
Jigme’s death was a stark reminder to us all that death and tragedy can strike us any time. Thus, in the Buddhist way, Jigme’s life, art and death can act as an inspiration and reminder to all of us not to waste our precious time and to create something that brings joy, benefit and meaning to others. This short commemoration article and review of the exhibit below, is a way to not only promote this excellent Tibetan exile initiative and fundraiser, but also to show my own appreciation, admiration and respect for Jigme, whom I knew and saw only in passing as a fellow local resident. His private story is a testament to the plight of many young Tibetans in exile, their deep loneliness at exile boarding schools, and their resilience, passion, originality and positivity at creating joyful, interesting and thought-provoking art in very challenging and materially poor circumstances, yet maintaining their Tibetan culture and identity within that and creating new ways of seeing and being Tibetan people, culture, food, clothes, music and philosophy.
The exhibit curation and content is excellent indeed, and the artworks of the other artists are thought-provoking, vivid and uniquely Tibetan. It is a breath of cool, crisp, fresh air amid the misty, humid, endless rains of Dharamsala these last few weeks and will remain open until the 27th August, at which there will be talks and live music from local musician, Rhyta and a special live guest. I encourage all who can, to go to have a look, and for those with money and an interest in modern art, to put their hands in the pockets and bid for one of the eleven stunning original artworks in the auction.
Music? Can You Hear Me? and Money Makes A Difference by G Tashi, and Yellow by Coldplay.
Written and compiled by Adele Tomlin, 25th August 2023.
The tragic passing of Tibetan exile artist, Jigme Choedak (1997-2023)
“I dance on string of time, ever growing not necessarily wiser. I want to make others happy, and it makes me happier. This time, I choose not to tell you my resolution and keep my mouth shut. The days are rolling and the tap dance of the rain then makes me dream, about future and also about all the joy I have around enriching my life. I am in Zen mood again and just today I realized, my birthday happens along with the sweet song of monsoon!”
This message was posted by Jigme Choedak, only a few days before he was tragically killed in a river accident. It shows the thoughts of a young man full of joy and much to look forward to. I knew of Jigme Choedak personally as a local resident here, and chatted to him a couple of times in local cafes. He was often with his German girlfriend, Lea who also lives here. He seemed a handsome, stylish, humble and gentle man but I did not know him well. The last time I saw him was on the morning of his tragic demise at a cafe in Gamru, Dharamsala. As I left the cafe I waved and said goodbye to him. At that time, I had no idea he had a forthcoming exhibition that weekend at the nearby Cafe Dohra. That was the last time I saw him alive.
The following day, the same cafe owner informed me he had passed away in a ‘freak’ accident at the river where he had taken a dog for a wash, and the river current had swept him away. It was so shocking and sad to hear that such a young man in his prime had been so suddenly taken away by the forces of nature. Everyone I spoke to about it was in state of shock and disbelief. The Cafe Dohra hosted a memorial event in place of the exhibit for Jigme, which I and many other locals, foreigners, Indians and Tibetans attended.
JC’s life and challenges alone as a child in Tibetan exile school
At the Cafe Dohra memorial event, they showed a short video of Jigme they compiled, which had everyone in tears as well as a video interview he had given one year ago for Stories of Tibetans. The interview is a moving tale of a young man effectively abandoned as a young child in Tibetan boarding schools (a common occurrence in Tibetan schools and monasteries) never to hear from or see his parents for several years. He speaks movingly of his loneliness and feelings of abandonment and lack of love and how art helped him overcome this and enabled him to give something back to people. In it he says:
As JC says in the interview:
“The message I want to convey for the artists would be to be true to yourself and specially to artist who draw, don’t draw to impress other but draw for yourself, have patience and don’t give up easily until you reach your limit to improve yourself. Let your emotion express and don’t bury your trauma till it will hurt you more.
Jigme was commissioned to work for several local organisations including Drogmo, the Tibetan Mentseekhang and in June 2022 las year, for Secular Ethics, a wall mural outside the 14th Dalai Lama’s temple. Jigme wrote about this work and its reception in a positive way. Thus, it was sad and worrying to hear today that after this mural had been completed, unknown people in the community painted over the Dalai Lama images (in an apparent censorship of the way he had portrayed the Dalai Lama). It is hard to see what people would possibly have objected to but I was told by someone who knew JC that conservative, elderly people had told him it was ‘wrong’ to be outside and so close to the dirty floor. Even more ironic considering that it was commissioned by an organisation said to be promoting ‘secularism’, which means education without any religious interference/domination.
The ‘Celebrating Jigme Choedak’s Life and Art exhibition and online auction – August 2023
The art exhibition opened at the Old Tibet Museum, Dharamsala on 25th August. The live online auction website to accompany it, was launched on 24th August 2023. Below I share some of the photos I took of Jigme’s works (the other artists I will feature in another piece).
If had to describe an overall tone and feeling of Jigme’s work and vision, it might be ‘Yellow’ the title of the Coldplay song he refers to in one of his works. A mixture of melcancholy pessimisim, being a misfit, loneliness, feeling unloved and misunderstood and undervalued yet combined with a moving, gentle love, heart, joy, humour, colour, and zest for creativity and ‘untrashing the misfits’ (as captured in one of his quotes exhibited in the show above). In another of the exhibited quotes of Jigme he says: ‘Trash is often those who are seldom respected.” and his wish that new creators get the encouragement and ‘respect’ they need and deserve.
Some of his works tread on more ‘controversial’ ground related to Tibetan culture, such as a monk speaking romantically to someone on the phone and a personal favourite of mine was ‘Moody Monks, Moody Weather’, showing us in a light-hearted way the all-too human nature! There is also a stunning set of portraits (in a more traditional format) demonstrating Jigme’s talent as a painter and drawer and the inner qualities revered in Buddhism, such as courage, integrity, subtlety.
Here is my selection of some of my favourite pieces and photos of some of the artists and Lea, Jigme’s girlfriend talking at the opening day today:
Drogmo’s India Campaign Gender and Sexuality (2020)
Cover Art for Money Makes Difference by GTashi (2020)
2022 Poems
Genyik Studio art
Thukpa (2021)
Yellow (2021)
Little Love (2021)
Series of Portraits
Eleven Auctioned Artworks: including Rama-lug by Tenzin Gyurmey
Included in the eleven auctioned artworks is Rama-lug, by the talented Tibetan artist, Tenzin Gyurmey whom I wrote about here for Tricycle online (June 2023). Following that, in the new Fall 2023 Tricycle Magazine featured a stunning centrespread of Tenzin’s artworks and the review. The artwork ‘Ramalug’ (the central work in this photo I took below) is being sold at the minimum bid of 40 000 INR (around 400 USD), which is a bargain indeed for such a major work by an upcoming artist.
Gyurmey told me in an exclusive interview about the exhibition that this work is playfully mocking conservative and purist cultural norms and expectations regarding mixed-race relationships in Tibetan exile culture and how as young men they would defy these norms ‘behind the mountains’ in exile.
Other auctioned artworks include stunning pieces by upcoming artists such as Tenzin Menlag’s provocative Che la sa, Karma Sichoe, and Tenzin Dorjee, Tashi Nyima’s realistic oil painting, Kora. and work depicting Tibetan women by female artists Sonam Yeshi, Ngoshi Chodon and Tenzin Dolker. More about these artists and the auctioned works can be seen on the Khadog arts instagram page, here is a selection below.
Hello Beloveds, Question: since several of these art offerings are photographs and glecee prints, is it not possible that more than one person can get a copy of their chosen artworks? Please make this possible for us. We are so deeply moved by the circumstances… Thanks and beloved be, Antoinette H. Marcus Talia Toni Marcus Tashi Choeden
On Fri, Aug 25, 2023 at 7:10 AM Dakini Translations and Publications
Hello thanks for your lovely message. You can contact the exhibition organisers and ask them directly. They are selling some large prints of his works for 1000 INR at the exhibit itself, which I will add into the review. Perhaps you can make a donation to the fundraiser and ask them to let you print one of them?