Artists and Society in Modern Tibetan Literature

Abstract

It is usually thought that modern forms of Tibetan culture started to emerge largely in the latter halfof the twentieth century, although there existed some signs and developments of modernizationalready in the first half. Since then, modern and traditional arts have existed side by side, ofteninfluencing each other and even appearing in hybrid forms. This situation is reflected in storiesabout artists in contemporary Tibetan fiction: these literary works include stories about artistswhich reflect both traditional Tibetan arts and folk culture and modern arts. This essay focuses onprose works by three writers: Dhondup Gyal (1953–1985), Tashi Palden (b. 1962), and TseringDhondup (b. 1961). In the works discussed, the main characters are representatives of differentart forms. The stories contain descriptions of the lives of artists and themes related to becoming,practising, and living as an artist. After the occupation of Tibet by the People’s Liberation Army ofthe People’s Republic of China in the 1950s, Tibetan society underwent a considerable transformation.The changes in society and its norms and values are also reflected in the descriptions of theartists’ lives. The relationship between artists and the surrounding society cannot be characterizedunidimensionally. The stories describe highly differing attitudes and values towards culture andart, which range from appreciating and being supportive to limiting and being negative. The relationshipbetween the artist and society may also undergo changes within a single story, reflectingthe influence of different attitudes and cultural policies in the society towards the practice of anartistic vocation. Examining the descriptions of artists and the theme of living as an artist, thisessay contributes to the discussion of the genre of artist stories in Tibetan culture.