Lopen Phurba Namgay will present his first major solo exhibition, “Buddhas and Rockets,” at the National Museum of Bhutan in Paro from September to November 2025. The show will showcase his mastery of traditional thangka painting alongside his playful contemporary works, where sacred Buddhist imagery meets Apollo-era rockets and modern icons.
We interviewed Phurba and asked him to share what inspires him.
Can you tell us about where you grew up and what your village was like?
I was born in Chendipji, a small village in Trongsa district, Bhutan. It’s perched on a hillside you pass after descending the Pele La Pass on the way to Trongsa. The village is famous for its Nepali-style stupa with Buddha eyes on all four sides—a place that has barely changed in 60 years. I, on the other hand, have changed quite a bit.
You originally studied to become a monk. How did you end up becoming a painter instead?
As a boy, I studied Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan writing (Choki), and ritual practices under my uncle, who was a lama. But I also loved to draw—dragons, flowers, whatever came to mind.
My uncle noticed this talent and sent me to the newly founded Institute for Zorig Chusum in Thimphu when I was 13. Instead of entering the monastery, I trained in traditional Bhutanese painting, one of the thirteen sacred arts known as zorig chusum.
What was your training like at the Institute for Zorig Chusum?
It was intense. I began with rimo, a meditative style of drawing sacred symbols—flowers, birds, Buddhas—where every line has to be perfectly proportioned. We drew on slate with chalk dust, over and over, until the form was flawless.
Then I learned how to make mineral paints, stretch canvas, create brushes from bamboo and animal hair, and even mix gold for painting. These are ancient techniques, passed down unchanged for centuries. After eight years, I became an apprentice painter, working on temple murals at Punakha Dzong and Paro Tsang Chuiko. Later, I returned to the institute as a lopen, or master teacher, of thangka painting.
Where do you get your inspiration for your art?
Many things around me influence my work, but two sources stand out most: my wife and my fascination with photorealism. I met my wife Linda who is originally from the United States. She was teaching English at the Institute for Zorig Chusum. We gradually got closer and fell in love and have been married now for over twenty years.
She has been a guiding presence throughout my career, encouraging me to explore beyond the boundaries of traditional thangka painting. Together, we have traveled to the US, India, Thailand, and Europe, visiting museums and galleries that opened my eyes to contemporary art.
I still remember seeing an Agnes Martin painting—simple gray stripes—that had sold for $14 million; it completely challenged how I thought about art.
My inspiration often comes from blending the familiar with the unexpected. I take everyday scenes—like road signs, street crossings, or ordinary moments—and combine them with traditional Bhutanese imagery, creating a dialogue between contemporary life and the sacred symbolism of thangka painting.
How have collectors responded to your work?
It has been incredibly encouraging and inspiring. When I first started adding contemporary elements— like tigers on crosswalks or Hummers driving through clouds where Buddhas sit, I wasn’t sure how people would respond.
To my delight, collectors embraced these works, appreciating the dialogue between tradition and modernity. Having the Rubin Foundation in New York purchase some of my pieces was especially meaningful—it gave me the confidence to continue experimenting while staying true to Bhutanese techniques.
Rockets appear frequently in your work—can you tell us how they became such a recurring theme and what they mean to you?
When I was a child, my Indian teacher told us about Americans who built rockets—and even flew to the moon on Apollo 11. For me, rockets were as magical as dragons. Later, visiting the Smithsonian and Huntsville’s Space and Rocket Center, I saw real rockets with my own eyes.
That moment inspired me to paint rockets using Buddhist symbolism. In my world, rockets don’t just break through the atmosphere—they soar like dragons and famed black necked cranes, symbolizing prosperity and longevity. Some of my favorite pieces feature rockets in playful and unexpected ways.
I’ve painted rockets launching out of lotuses, trailing menacing smoke, or hatching dragons while flying over the ocean. To me, this is the perfect fusion of space-age technology and Buddhist iconography. While I continue to create traditional thangkas, I also spend time exploring these imaginative rocket series, which have become very popular with visitors to Bhutan.
Do you still paint traditional thangkas?
Yes. I continue to paint thangkas for monasteries and private commissions. But between larger projects, I also create pieces for my rocket series. Visitors to Bhutan love them—they see both tradition and surprise in the same painting.
Lopen Phurba Namgay (b. 1963, Trongsa, Bhutan) is a master thangka painter trained at the Institute for Zorig Chusum. Known for temple restorations and murals, he combines traditional methods—hand-mixed pigments, mineral paints, and 24k gold—with contemporary motifs, including his acclaimed “rocket paintings” inspired by his childhood fascination with Apollo 11.
See more of his artworks here.
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For more information, please visit https://museums.gov.bt/
