News and Events

May 17-20, 2012

San Francisco Fine Art Fair

March 21-25, 2012

New York Arts of Pacific Asia Show

February 2, 2012

San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show

August 2011

Upcoming Exhibition in Tibet House, New York

“Tibetan Contemporary Art: Tantric Visions in Modern Self-Expression”

Two of my recent contemporary art works join an impressive collection of evocative and emotive pieces that combine to provide the viewer with an understanding of the changing landscape of Tibetan art.

September 14 – November 15

Opening reception: September 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

I hope you can come along and support the show!
July 2011

The Pantheon of 100 Buddhas

In May this year I started another major project; one of the most profound I’ve been involved in. Many years in the making, this significant historical event – The Pantheon of 100 Buddhas – is 150 foot creative revelation in Sikkim, India. I’ve been commissioned as the principle architect and designer and I’m really excited and honored to be engaged in the development of this amazing structure.
July 2011

Kalachakra

I had a great time in DC at the Kalachakra. I met a lot of interesting people and had many positive comments about my booth. All in all it was a very special time with many blessings from the Dalai Lama.
July 2011

In honor of H.H. the Dalai Lama and his tireless work for world peace, I am taking a portion of my studio to the Kalachakra for World Peace in Washington, DC, from July 6-16, 2011.

I am setting up my studio in an event booth where I will be available in the mornings and evenings and where my works are available for purchase. I look forward to seeing you there.

Long live H.H the Dalai Lama!
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November 2010

HAMMER CONVERSATIONS

Join me on Sunday November 7 at 1pm for a conversation with Michael Rotundi in the Billy Wilder Theater.

Michael Rotondi & Pema Namdol Thaye

Architect and educator Michael Rotondi is the principal of RoTo Architecture, an award-winning firm that creates unconventional structures that aim to dissolve the boundaries between design, science, technology, and the fine arts. Rotondi co-founded Morphosis in 1972 and was director of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). A master of Tibetan art, Pema Namdol Thaye is renowned for his expertise in traditional Tibetan thangka painting, sculpture, and the creation of rare three dimensional mandalas. For more than 25 years, Pema has provided a vital contribution to the world’s understanding of traditional Tibetan Art. (Excerpt from the Hammer Museum website).

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July 2010

Upcoming Exhibition of the 3-D Zangdok Palri Model

Great news, the 3-D Model of Guru Rinpoche’s Zangdok Palri Mansion will be exhibited during “The Mandala Project” by the HAMMER MUSEUM in partnership with the American Foundation for Tibetan Cultural Preservation (Ari Bhod) from October 26 to November 7, 2010.

There will be a 2-D Rigzin Dhupa Sand Mandala construction on-site and Hammer Conversations with me – Pema Namdol – & Michael Rotundi at 1 PM on Sunday, Nov 7.
April 2010

Tibet House Exhibition

I just spent the weekend in New York taking down my Tibet House show. I am quite pleased with how it went, despite the recession. Thank you to all who were involved in it and to all who came to view it.
While I was there I took the opportunity to go to the Rubin Museum of Art to see my Swiss Shi-tro Mandala currently on display in the Bardo Exhibition. It is a truly beautiful Museum and well worth visiting.
Here are some pictures of it on display:

Shi-tro Photography by David De Armas
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January 2010

Upcoming Tibet House Exhibition

Modern Buddhist Visions by Pema Namdol Thaye

The modern hand of Tibetan tradition: Buddhist iconography in the mandala, thangka & sculpture works of Pema Thaye.

Opening reception: February 11 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Hosted by:Tibet House US

Where: Tibet House Gallery

When: Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6:00 pm until
Friday, April 16, 2010 at 12:00 pm
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May 2009

Zangdok Palri U.S.A. Project

I have finally completed stage two – the detailed scale model – of the three staged Zangdok Palri U.S.A project for Ari Bhod.Wow, it was a monumental undertaking, but was worth it, as it turned out just as I’d visualized it. Of course there is an almost endless amount of detail one could add if there was time, but I’m still happy with the outcome (I’ll post pictures as soon as it’s unveiled to the public, but the drawing on the left is some idea of what it will look like). I’d like to thank my wife, Gaye, for almost 10 months working by my side on this project. So I am now free to pursue my other projects, which were put on hold, and will settle in the LA area for the foreseeable future.

Concept Line Drawing of the Zangdok Palri Celestial Palace
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January 2009

Pacific Asia Museum Exhibition
The Thangkas of Master Artist PEMA NAMDOL THAYE

January 16 – 18 2009

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue – Pasadena, CA
I want to thank everyone who came to my exhibition, lecture or art class and hope you all enjoyed it. The museum thought it was a great success and I was very pleased with the attendance and positive comments. I’m always happy to share my work and look forward to further exhibitions. So keep an eye on this page for more in the future!

Thanks also to the following for your greatly appreciated assistance in arranging the exhibition: Amelia from PAM, Kiki from HAC & Linnea from Ari Bhod. And for helping with the setting up: my wife – Gaye, my brother – Kunzang Wangdi, Veronica & Tyler (& also Ben for serving drinks on the opening night) – I couldn’t have done it without you all!

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Zangdok Palri U.S.A. Project
I am currently working on the biggest challenge in my career, the “Zangdok Palri U.S.A. Project” for a wonderful foundation dedicated to preserving Tibetan Culture. It’s called Ari Bhod and is situated in the beautiful snowy Tehachapi Mountains, California.
This project has been in the pipeline since I completed the initial concept drawing in 2001 after Ven. Lama Chödak Gyatso Nubpa first discussed this idea with me and requested a drawing to provide everyone with some idea of its scope. I then completed the first comprehensive blueprint in 2005. I’ve been working on the project in a physical, full-time capacity for over two years now: researching numerous Tibetan Buddhist texts; calculating the blueprints, and building the required architectural and detailed scale models.

As it is a celestial abode of one of Tibetan Buddhism’s greatest heroes (Guru Rinpoche), I’ve had to figure out how to make something meant as a visualization aid into a functioning, Californian-code-abiding structure! Not an easy task. It has taken all my years of training and experience since I first began my artistic journey over 25 years ago to accomplish this. I am also very happy to be working alongside one of California’s premium architects – Michael Rotundi of Roto Architecture – who is facilitating the code-abiding/engineering processes with great expertise. I’ve almost finished the extremely elaborate scale model, but as yet cannot put up any pictures. Ari Bhod is planning a grand unveiling sometime in 2009 and after that I will post some on my gallery page. You can get some idea of the model in progress on my “About” page and on Ari Bhod’s web site. But anyway, stay tuned!

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Tibet House Exhibition
I’m also planning another more comprehensive thangka exhibition with Tibet House in New York sometime in 2009. Having exhibited with them in 2000 I am very happy to be joining with them again for another showing.
Thangkas are extremely labor-intensive, so it takes many years to paint enough of them to make a decent exhibition – especially if one works alone without the traditional assistance of students. Plus I’ve been so busy with the Zangdok Palri project, that this has also slowed my thangka work to a standstill.
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