Description
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In partnership with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, we welcome artisan in residence Dawa Dakpa, an expert in Tibetan Lima Bronze craftsmanship, and Dawa Drolma, cultural heritage presenter and interpreter.
Clay sculpting is the foundational step in the complex processes of sand casting and lost-wax casting. It serves as the template for the wax casting, accurately replicating the desired design in three dimensions. Additionally, the clay sculpting stage allows for design adjustments and modifications, ensuring the perfect execution of the artist's vision.
Embark on a captivating journey into the ancient art of Tibetan clay sculpting with artisan in residence Dawa Dakpa, from a renowned handicraft family in Tibet, China. This hands-on workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn from a skilled artisan who has been immersed in this tradition from a young age. With a passion for preserving Tibetan culture and a talent that has been passed down through generations, this young master will guide you through the nuances of Tibetan clay sculpting. You will discover the secrets of working with local clays, the techniques for capturing the distinctive features of Tibetan icons, and the symbolism that infuses every piece.
All ages welcome. No expertise required. Please bring a small box or shoebox to help transport your work home.
About Dawa Dakpa
Dawa Dakpa is the seventh generation of the Khyentse Lima Bronze lineage. Dawa Dakpa carries on the tradition, crafting exquisite bronze sculptures of Buddhist deities and enlightened beings known as bodhisattvas. He is a rising star in traditional craftsmanship, has been recognized as a State-level Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor, is a recipient of the National Youth Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritors Support Plan, and is the winner of the China Arts and Crafts Culture Design Award.
After graduating from high school, Dawa Dakpa followed in his father Nima's footsteps, dedicating himself to learning the Lima Bronze and connecting him to all bearers of this great lineage—his father, his great-uncle, his great-grandfather, and the venerable Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892), founder of the nonsectarian Rime movement.
Dawa Dakpa's exceptional creativity and design expertise breathe new life into ancient bronze products. His work has propelled Tibetan traditional handicrafts to the international market, ensuring the self-sustenance of China's Tibetan Lima Bronze craftsmanship.
In this era of rapid globalization, Dawa Dakpa believes that Khyenle craftsmanship is a technique that manages to stay fashionable while upholding tradition. His aspiration is to inspire and nurture generations with Tibetan traditional craftsmanship and innovative works.
Now he is also the cofounder of Khyenle, a Tibetan Bronze Art Center using traditional lost-wax casting and sand-casting techniques and with a mission to empower craftsmen in Tibet as artisans and provide employment opportunities for them. There are over thirty full-time artisan works at Khyenle. In 2022, Khyenle was recognized as the Sichuan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Poverty Alleviation Base.
About Dawa Drolma
Dawa Drolma comes from a small community called Maisu that has a population of just over 6,000. It is located in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. Maisu is home to over 1,000 artisans who practice thirteen different traditional crafts, including lost-wax casting, pottery, thangka painting, and wood carving. Dawa Drolma was raised in a Tibetan Buddhist statue-making family in this community. Her parents, who have never attended school, strongly believe in the importance of education. Dawa Drolma began her schooling at the age of ten.
In 2017, she received a bachelor's degree from Bay Path University in the United States, majoring in both marketing and small business development. From 2016 to 2019, she worked as a contractor for the Smithsonian and the China Art and Craft Association, assisting Tibetan artisans in marketing their products. Additionally, she produced thirteen documentary films to tell the stories of these Tibetan artists and to show the world their mission to change the world through their arts and crafts.
At the age of twenty-two, she published the book Silence in the Valley of Songs about the working songs of her hometown in both Tibetan and English. That same year, her documentary on handicrafts, Dzongsar Clay, won the first prize in the World Handicraft Documentary Competition.
Dawa Drolma is not only a scholar and a photographer but is also an enthusiastic entrepreneur. In 2017, Dawa Drolma returned to her community and cofounded Khyenle, a Tibetan Bronze Art Center with a mission to empower Tibetan artisans and provide employment opportunities for them. In the past six years, she has won numerous domestic and international awards in the business field, including the "Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Award" in 2015, the "Ganzi Innovator Award," and the "Returnee Award" in 2022. Her dedication to promoting rural development and revitalization has also been recognized with the third prize in the "Rural Revitalization: Growth Category" of the Sichuan Tianfu Cup in 2022.
With her exceptional academic achievements and a profound love for her hometown, Dawa Drolma is not only a role model for young entrepreneurs but is also a powerful advocate for traditional craftsmanship and rural development. Her journey embodies the spirit of innovation, dedication, and commitment to community development, making her a beacon of hope for rural communities across China.
About Khyenle
Khyenle is a Tibetan Bronze Art Center located in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China, and carries a rich history spanning seven generations and dating back to the early nineteenth century. Founded by the first reincarnation of Dzongsar Khyentse, the center is renowned for its unique bronze style, known as Khyenle, which utilizes traditional lost-wax casting and sand-casting techniques. With its superb craftsmanship and exquisite materials, Khyenle has won acclaim both locally and internationally. Each Khyenle artwork embodies the essence of Tibetan culture, possessing profound spiritual and educational values.
Khyenle's mission is to uplift Tibetan artisans and provide them with sustainable employment opportunities. It believes that by fostering and upholding their own cultural heritage, individuals can remain economically independent, avoiding the constraints of external economic forces. By harnessing the creativity of art and craftsmanship, they can generate income in a sustainable manner, avoiding destructive sources of income, such as hunting and logging.
Through Khyenle's dedication and commitment to preserving Tibetan culture, it serves as a beacon of hope for artisans and as a driving force in promoting sustainable development within the community. Khyenle Center has over thirty full-time artisans, and it is the leading arts and crafts center in the valley. It provides a platform for more than ten other local handmade centers in Maisu to connect with the outside market, products development, and provide entrepreneurial training.
Cost
Free
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Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
