Pema Rinzin
Pema Rinzin was born in 1966 in Tibet but raised in India. Rinzin attended the Tibetan Children’s Village Painting School in Dharamsala, India. He earned degrees in Tibetan Traditional Thangka Painting and Fine Art. He earned the title of “Best Tibetan Thangka Painter” in 1979 and 1981. While growing up, he studied with master artists, and was also inspired by western art history. Rinzin studied traditional Thangka painting with master Kalsang Oshoe. Since then, Pema Rinzin has become a world-renowned master Tibetan Thangka painter and has also taken part in the contemporary art movement. His work has been exhibited all over the world in numerous public and private collections. Among them are the Dalai Lama, the Rubin Museum of Art and the Shoko-ji Cultural Research Institute. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Artist Statement
"My personal challenge is to introduce Tibetan art to the general public, art schools and universities around the world with the hope of continuing this rare and unique form of visual Tibetan culture for future generations. I have dedicated myself to teaching both the practice and appreciation of Tibetan art through its discipline and techniques which can offer great benefit and new skills to all students of art. During many years of study and travel I have worked on developing a distinctive method to communicate the depth of these Tibetan painting practices and hope to provide an entirely unique artistic experience to students.
To this end, in 2007, I founded the New York Tibetan Art Studio, the only studio in the Western Hemisphere dedicated to teaching and preservation of Tibetan art in both its traditional form and to move forward in a modern world – contemporary and fine art. Currently I am working on a series of abstract paintings some of which have already appeared in exhibition. In addition, much of my energy is now directed towards writing with a focus on publishing a book on the history of individual Tibetan master artists.
For many years, while creating Tibetan art, teaching and looking, I observed the works of many great Tibetan artists with perfectly masterful compositions, also filled with personal expression and emotion, and that in itself was tremendously inspiring. With an early introduction to Western art, I was very much inspired by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Wassily Kandinsky and William Blake. Their drawing, use of colour and composition, is as rich as the most refined Tibetan art. Blake particularly brings poetry into his paintings infusing them with emotion and spirituality. Later, after moving to New York, I was immediately exposed to street and former graffiti artists. They inspired me in their works with everyday life and raw emotion. Now, my art is really about my life journey which I strongly express in my compositions and abstract forms."
-Pema Rinzin
Four Guardian Kings
2007
Ground Mineral Pigment on Wood
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art
2007
Ground Mineral Pigment on Wood
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art
“After moving to New York, I was immediately exposed to street- and former graffiti artists, they inspired me in their works with everyday life and raw emotion. Now, my art is really about my own life journey, which I strongly express in my compositions and abstract forms.”
-Pema Rinzin
Lost Portrait #1
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 36 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 36 in.
Lost Portrait #2
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 36 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 36 in.
Female Buddha
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
24 x 36 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
24 x 36 in.
Rinzin is regarded as one of the pioneers of the movement to
modernize Tibetan art. Rinzin was included in the Rubin’s 2010
group exhibition Tradition Transformed, New York's first museum
exhibition of contemporary Tibetan artists. This helped to bring more
Tibetan art to America.
Rinzin is also a master of Himalayan art, which is an art form that is rarely practiced. It is recognized by institutions and scholars as an extremely rare set of skill and abilities. In addition, he is also one of the world’s experts on the individual historical masters of Himalayan art. His level of expertise and his talents as an artist make him a valued educator and lecturer on all aspects of traditional Tibetan art. Rinzin also works as an art teach with students at all levels. He believes that through teaching, he is able to promote the appreciation of traditional Tibetan art which will foster the preservation of it for generations to come.
Rinzin is also a master of Himalayan art, which is an art form that is rarely practiced. It is recognized by institutions and scholars as an extremely rare set of skill and abilities. In addition, he is also one of the world’s experts on the individual historical masters of Himalayan art. His level of expertise and his talents as an artist make him a valued educator and lecturer on all aspects of traditional Tibetan art. Rinzin also works as an art teach with students at all levels. He believes that through teaching, he is able to promote the appreciation of traditional Tibetan art which will foster the preservation of it for generations to come.
Peace and Energy (White)
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
Peace and Energy (Purple)
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
41 x 61 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
41 x 61 in.
Peace and Energy (Yellow)
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
Peace and Energy (Orange)
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2009
41 x 61 in.
“In his stunning abstractions, Rinzin demonstrates how the individual artist can place his own stamp on a traditional form—he both transforms and transcends classical Thangka, while preserving its ancient art making techniques. His Peace and Energy series includes four large works on canvas that present a compelling image for contemplation: in each, a dynamic embolus of layered 'handkerchief' forms hums at the center of each picture against a traditional monochromatic background of bright orange, purple, white, or yellow. The fluttering, interlocking forms are thoroughly contemporary, but each carries a unique pattern derived from the ancient Buddhist traditions, and the whole is shot through with pulsing striped flames of blue, white, black, and gold.”
-Joshua Liner Gallery
Water #2
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
54 x 44 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
54 x 44 in.
Water #4
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
54 x 41 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on canvas
2010
54 x 41 in.
" A master in the art of Thangka painting, Pema Rinzin has adapted the techniques and mystical motifs of this centuries-old Buddhist tradition to create spellbinding abstract works of contemporary art."
-Joshua Liner Gallery
Abstract Circle
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 48 in.
Ground mineral pigments and gold on wood
2010
48 x 48 in.
