The Twin Artists of Bhutan: Beauty and the Beast in Himalayan Painting
Beauty and the Beast Brave Woman Goddess of Summer Moon Totem Ancient Gate - Rabbit Realm Zasi Dongzhi and Wujian Sanzhi, known as The Twinz, are recognized among Bhutan's most accomplished contemporary painters. These twin artists, who reside in the capital city of Thimphu, began their artistic journey together in 2014 and have since staged numerous art exhibitions. What sets these twin painters apart is that every piece they create is a joint effort between the two. Though they exist as two individuals, they are united by a single soul.
Yachna Gurung, their sibling and manager, said, "The brothers have always enjoyed observing people. I remember when relatives used to come over to our house when they were young, they would instinctively take out their sketchbooks and start drawing portraits of everyone." A gift for drawing was apparent in The Twinz since childhood.
Audrey Hepburn Music also marked the beginning of The Twinz' artistic journey; however, they later became fascinated with European painters, among them Rembrandt, and studied fine arts at college. They have always had a passion for portrait art.
Rembrandt The Twinz base their creative themes on Buddhist traditions, consciousness, psychedelia, warrior spirit, shamanism, Bhutan's material culture (painting, sculpture, temples), and intangible cultural heritage (knowledge, wisdom, and skill). They have many favorite painters, "especially from the Renaissance period, such as Baroque, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Rubens." By fusing traditional and modern brushstrokes, they convey their understanding and viewpoints about these subjects.
Bright Female Warrior. In 2017, through their innate talent and perseverance, The Twinz held their debut art exhibition, "Warriors," which drew inspiration from a chapter in Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche's "The Sacred Path of the Warrior." As they themselves state, "Our inspiration comes from traditional Bhutanese art, but our paintings are filled with Western contemporary styles." They further explain, "The core of our creation is the human being, symbolizing the warrior within each person.
In Bhutan and the Himalayan region, the Long Life Five Sisters—disciples of the accomplished master Milarepa's Dakini—are widely worshipped and have vowed to protect the Buddha Dharma. The work 'Guardians of the Bear and Bee Forest' 'Warrior Sisters of the Vajra Guardians' takes inspiration from them. When we awaken our true nature or realize the 'primordial goodness' inside ourselves, we become warriors and can overcome obstacles of the physical and spiritual aspects of mundane life.
The traditional practice of offering golden wine (གསེར་སྐྱེམས།) in Tibetan Buddhism, in which devotees often make such offerings to the deities to ask for swift help in removing obstacles, is presented in The Sisters of the Diamond Warrior Gods "The Ritual". The artwork shows the five sisters in their warrior forms, each with a circular metal pendant on her chest bearing a different animal motif that signifies her respective mount. At the bottom, a blue male deer and a pink female deer stand for skillful means and wisdom, respectively.
A totem—used in ceremonies—is a deity, sacred object, or symbol representing a tribe, clan, family, or individual. The painting's female warrior, who holds a sacred chalice and bowl, signifies a practitioner. Many cultural traditions teach that from birth, humans are protected and guided by spirits, which could be ancestors or certain animals. In Buddhism, the jaguar stands for moving from ignorance to wisdom.
The artwork depicts a woman warrior who draws strength from the jaguar, enabling her to face life's challenges without fear, with clarity and self-assurance. The piece belongs to the Animal Totem series, which draws on the jaguar's wisdom from the Americas. In 2018, The Twinz presented their second art exhibition, featuring works shaped largely by shamanism and Vajrayana Buddhism, and created as a homage to Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan. A devoted admirer of art, King Wangchuck has consistently championed the arts and artists throughout his kingdom. The exhibition was visited by the King and Queen of Bhutan.
Within Buddhist philosophy, emptiness is embodied by women, who often symbolize wisdom and serve as spiritual protectors. Meditation-induced hallucinatory states are represented by the various colors on the canvas. "Buddhism understands concepts such as mind nature, non-duality, and the two truths through wisdom and skillful means.
Even though ordinary beings can never fully grasp such profound concepts, we nonetheless attempt to convey our partial insight through symbolic forms. The piece titled "Inspiration of Compassion" belongs to the Vajrasattva dance series, yet its mood is one of peace. This dance embodies the triumph achieved through the struggle against opposing forces. In the artwork, the female figure rests in a state of compassionate meditation, offering a prayer for the everlasting peace of all sentient beings.
Bearers of the Blue Lotus,' which draws its inspiration from Green Tara and White Tara, embodies a call to compassion. In the artwork, a female figure symbolizing wisdom or the Mother of Empty Space holds a blue lotus, an emblem of purity. At her chest hangs a circular golden pendant engraved with the syllable 'Tam,' a signifier of the goddess Tara. The drum embodies Buddhist connections, while the drumstick represents skillful means of compassion; a single beat of the drum can erase the suffering of samsara and guide beings toward liberation.
In "Ecstatic Spirituality", the female portrait—titled "Bearers of the Blue Lotus"—has realized the truth of impermanence and risen above all worldly influences. Her red backdrop signifies love and compassion toward every being, while the Tam pendant at the center of her palms calls forth the deity's blessings. Around her are the four auspicious animals: tiger, lion, garuda, and dragon, embodying qualities such as awareness, foresight, confidence, joy, and strength.
Inspired by a deer spirit dance from Bhutan, 'Ecstatic Spiritual Joy' ("Incense Calming the Earth Spirits") is intended to calm the earth spirits and pray for the welfare of all beings. The two red wrathful masks positioned on the sides stand for her warrior spirits, ever ready to conquer any impediments. The blue lotus, mushrooms, and two mythical beasts symbolize a transformation or transcendence of how reality is perceived.
The painting’s dancer is a female figure, with a circular pendant on her chest that symbolizes the nondualistic mind, and victory banners that represent the triumph over all evils. As for the deer, its connection to the earth spirits stems from its strength and remarkable regenerative powers. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche either rode a deer or took its form, and by performing the dance, he subdued the earth spirits. In general, every animal is tied to a specific element or deity.
In "Joy," the two monks, having savored the nectar of wisdom, are overcome by a profound longing to emulate the enlightened masters of old, choosing a life of solitude and spiritual practice. They exist in a state of deep meditation and ecstatic bliss, wrapped in an aura of the mystical.
To clear away the lingering thoughts that occupy their minds, their former teacher appears as a wrathful deity. Through discipline, courage, and faith, he directs them onto the correct path to enlightenment, while also warning that meditation alone is not enough. The deity's right hand is raised toward the sky, symbolizing transcendence or enlightenment; his left hand represents discipline and methods of liberation. The wolf stands by to protect them, helping them overcome both physical and spiritual obstacles.
Joy "real" elephant In 2020, at the Dubai Expo under the theme "Opportunity", The Twinz represented Bhutan by exhibiting three paintings: "Harmony Four Auspices", "Six Longevity Figures", and the Four Auspicious Animals (Tiger, Lion, Garuda, Dragon). These works form part of a series the artists produced alongside their female portraits, drawing on traditional Tibetan spiritual symbols and fusing them with various contemporary artistic styles.
The Six Longevity Scrolls" consists of three works completed over a three-month period, merging realism with modern fashion elements and traditional Japanese woodcut prints. Of these, "Harmony of the Four Auspicious Beasts" demanded the most time and was their most pleasurable creative endeavor.
"Animal elements are a feature of our artwork, such as the elephant in 'Harmony of the Four Auspicious Beasts', which may look realistic at first glance, but the flat design eliminates its realism, which is quite interesting." "Harmony and Four Auspicious" "The wave element in the painting of the four auspicious beasts is influenced by the Japanese master painter Katsushika Hokusai, which also gives the work a resemblance to a Japanese woodblock print. The sun and moon represent the concept of non-duality.
Recent years have seen The Twinz gain recognition in Bhutan's contemporary art scene for their captivating and unique paintings, as well as their twin identity. In their work 'Four Auspicious Animals Paintings with texture,' they diverge from the conventional four auspicious beasts by choosing a green lion rather than the traditional white one. Asha Kama Wangdi, who is regarded as the father of modern art in Bhutan, has stated: "The Twinz represent a contemporary, realistic, and heartfelt expression.
Zoltan Valcsicsak, the founder of Water lily Inspiredbybhutan, recalled that his initial visit to The Twinz's studio left him impressed by the texture of the paintings before him and fascinated by the thoughts and minds of the twin brothers. He described them as exceptionally talented, spiritual, kind, humble, and hardworking, and said they have arguably already changed Bhutan's art scene. Their skill and serious attitude towards art are to be admired.
The hymn "Our Desires" features Zaxi and Wujian, two exceptionally talented twin artists whose lives are deeply intertwined with their art. Upon seeing their stunning paintings, I told them, "Share your art with the outside world, because they are so beautiful, unique, and captivating.
Their dream is to hold a solo art exhibition in Europe, and they said, “especially at the Saatchi Art Gallery in London, that way our wish would come true.” Aesthetic Beauty In addition to their daily collaborative art projects, they also pursue other fun activities, such as illustrating children's books, hiking in the mountains, and helping their mother with her gardening business. They seldom speak in everyday life, using painting as the voice for their inner thoughts, according to them: “We rarely speak in ordinary life, and painting serves as our voice through which we can express our inner thoughts.” queen
This article is a translation of a blog post originally written by Yangmao. The image sources are provided at the following links: https://bhutanart.bt/artists/twinz/, https://inspiredbybhutan.com/pages/contemporary-art, and https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/the-twinz-artworks-represent-bhutan-at-the-world-expo. Featured works include Goddess of Longevity, Wisdom Seeker, Calling Joyful Buddha, Elk Musician, and Rebirth. Though they have two physical forms, they are united by a single soul.
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Where do I find the prices and dimensions of the works shown on your website. I saw several pieces at the Paro airport and looked your work up online. Thanks.