Thangkas play a very important role in the practice of Buddhism. They are used daily for rituals and meditations. The thangkas are displayed in the temples and exposed to the elements and to the smoke from the butter lamps. After a while they get damaged from wear and tear. Our objective is to restore all the damaged thangkas in monasteries throughout Bhutan and to teach the monks how to take care of the thangkas.
In 2007, the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Central Monastic Body established two thangka conservation studios. They are located near the Thimphu Dzong in Eastern Bhutan at Trongsa Dzong. The studios are staffed by the monks that Ephraim Jose has trained since 2005. As of January 27, 2009, we have restored over 90 thankgkas. The restoration was funded by Honolulu Academy of Arts from 2005 to 2007. Future workshops will be funded through private donations.
The monks will be self-sufficient in thangka conservation, but we can only begin this program of sustainability and continuity with initial support from the public. If we can restore 10 to 20 thangkas a year for museums and private collectors around the world, we will have enough funds to purchase the materials we need to restore 50 Thangkas throughout Bhutan for a year.
