Sunday 23 November 2008

Bhutan : Peaceful Dragon: Textiles Arts from the Kingdom of Bhutan begins

November 22: The ancient city of Augsburg in Germany is the venue of the Exhibition of Bhutanese textiles. Entitled “Peaceful Dragon: Textiles Arts from the Kingdom of Bhutan”, the exhibition was inaugurated yesterday by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck.

Augsburg is a very old city in Germany and in fact was once upon a time a textile powerhouse. Today this picturesque city is the venue of the Exhibition of Bhutanese textiles titled- Peaceful Dragon: Textiles Arts from the Kingdom of Bhutan.

At the exhibition, visitors will get the chance to see fine specimen of Bhutanese textiles art ranging from the secular to the spiritual. Applique thangkas, royal namzas and intricately woven kiras that showcase the brilliance of Bhutan’s textile heritage and accessories like komas are on display at the museum.

The festival is being held at the Maximilian Museum. Artists and officials from the Textile Museum and the Royal Textile Academy came to Augsburg in advance to lay the ground for the exhibition.

The exhibition was inaugurated yesterday by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck. Their Royal Highness the Princes Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Princess Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck will also grace the opening of the exhibition.

The exhibition’s opening will feature traditional Bhutanese ceremonies including Chipdrel and Marchhang. Clad in colorful costumes unique to Bhutan and dressed in their tshechu best, artists from the Royal Academy of Performing Arts will perform mask dances and traditional Bhutanese songs and dances.

Our reporter Tshewang Dendup says winter in Germany and Europe at large is marked by grey skies and cold weather. The Bhutanese delegation in Germany however has been receiving warm and cordial receptions from the people of Germany.

The historic events of 2008 including the Coronation of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo which was covered by the German media has not only created awareness of Bhutan amongst the people of Germany but also generated a lot of goodwill.

The exhibition is an international celebration of the auspicious events of the Coronation of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as the Fifth Hereditary King of Bhutan, the Centenary of the Bhutanese Monarchy and the successful transition to a full fledged parliamentary democracy this year.

After its debut at the Maximilian Museum in Augsburg, the exhibition will travel to the city of Rosenheim where it will be on display from mid February to April 2009.

www.bbs.com.bt

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