True artists, it is said, are never touched by the dullness of time-not even in the twilight of their lives. For them, boredom is a stranger; inspiration is a lifelong companion. When solitude calls, they summon their beloved deities with brush in hand, weaving visions into canvas with the same passion that burned in their youth. The creations of their early years, once silent, begin to speak—ripening like fine wine, whispering stories as they journey across lands and hearts.
Such is the spirit that radiates from Realms and Cemeteries, an evocative exhibition now gracing the walls of Takpa Gallery in Lazimpat. Here, the soul-stirring works of master artist Urgen Dorje unfold like a sacred scroll-each piece a testament to timeless devotion, tradition, and transcendence. These are not mere paintings; they are living relics, pulsing with divine intimacy and the echoes of ancient realms.
In his 80s, yet radiating the fervor of a man half his age, the master artist speaks of his creations with a light in his eyes that time has not dimmed. Each brushstroke, each canvas, he recalls with such clarity, such reverence, that it puts even the sharpest memories of youth to shame. His voice dances with energy as he guides the viewers through his works-stories painted not just in color, but in spirit.
In a moment of candid nostalgia during his interaction with the Khojpatra team, he journeys back to his earliest years-when he was just five. A small boy wandering the open fields, tasked with herding yaks, yet lost not in the herd, but in his imagination. When the yaks grazed, he would steal away moments to draw upon the earth with a stick, as if the soil itself were his first canvas. Sometimes, it was the bark of pine trees that held his visions-sketched in charcoal carried secretly in his pockets. “I remember,” he chuckles softly, “tucking pieces of charcoal into my pocket just to draw a figure on a tree.”
His mother, sensing his disinterest in livestock, would often scold him, declaring he would never have yaks of his own. What she saw as a curse turned out to be a blessing-one that paved the way for a life devoted to art, not herding. He became not a keeper of animals, but a guardian of stories, spirits, and symbols. He became what he was always meant to be-an artist.
From a tender age, his soul was drawn not only to the visual beauty of the world but to its spiritual depths. The presence of revered Gurus stirred something profound within him. He would gaze at them with quiet wonder, not merely in awe of their wisdom, but deeply curious-what path had they walked to become such luminous beings? These questions ignited a flame in his young heart.
Often, these Gurus, sensing the spark within the boy, would gift him sacred texts-treasures he would pore over with the intensity of one searching for hidden realms. From the sacred pages, he brought to life divine deities, painting them as they were described, not just with accuracy, but with devotion that breathed spirit into form.”I think I am blessed by the Gurus and Buddha equally,” says the artist.
His early depictions, rich with reverence, did not go unnoticed. Many Gurus were moved by the purity of his art and offered him teachings-lessons in compassion, mindfulness, and the essence of Buddhist philosophy. These were not abstract ideas to him; he wove them into the very fabric of his being, living them as naturally as he painted. In his world, brush and belief were never separate-each line an offering, each color a prayer.
The question that had once echoed in his childhood heart-“How are Gurus made?”-was answered not just through books or teachings, but through life itself. In a beautiful twist of fate, one of his own sons walked the sacred path and became a Guru. It was this very son who gently guided him into the realm of meditation, offering him techniques that would forever shape his inner world.
Even now, in the autumn of his years, he practices those sacred methods-not as ritual, but as lifeblood. “After meditating,” he shares with a smile that seems to glow from within, “so much has changed. My vision has become clearer, my hearing sharper… and above all, I feel happier than ever before.”
It’s as if the universe had listened to the yearning of a young boy who once looked up to the wise with wide eyes-and gifted him not only answers, but transformation. Through art, devotion, and now meditation, the artist continues to evolve-his spirit as radiant and curious as ever.
His paintings are a sublime confluence of tradition and modernity-a harmonious dialogue between the ancient and the evolving. Within each canvas, the wisdom of lineage dances with the pulse of the present, creating a visual language that transcends time.
Among the treasures in his current exhibition is a remarkable piece he painted at the tender age of fifteen. It depicts the sacred concept of Shitho-with “Shi” representing the serene, peaceful deities and “Tho” embodying their wrathful counterparts. Even in his adolescence, his strokes carried a depth and precision that hinted at an old soul guided by divine hands.
Two of these early masterpieces, created in his teenage years, have found a home far from his native soil-in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, Virginia), no less. These paintings breathe life into the deities of the Bardo Thödol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, capturing the luminous realm between life and rebirth with haunting beauty.
He still recalls those formative days vividly-the firm but gentle guidance of his masters, the long hours spent learning not just how to paint, but how to see. Their teachings are etched in his memory as deeply as his art is etched in the hearts of those who encounter it.
The divine realms-the very abodes of gods-come alive within his paintings, rendered with a rare grace that bridges the mystical and the mortal. In the spiritual cosmology of Tibetan Buddhism, the soul journeys through various realms shaped by karma-celestial heavens, human worlds, even the infernos of hell. Each of these realms finds its place on his canvas, not in overwhelming grandeur, but with a simplicity so profound, it draws the viewer inward.
What sets these works apart is not just their sacred subject matter, but the artist’s exquisite restraint. With a masterful hand, he chooses mineral pigments that echo the purity of traditional thangka painting, yet lends them a composition so fresh, so human, that the divine becomes approachable. It is a visual prayer, a map of the unseen, and a meditation on the cycles of existence.
Among those moved by this sacred tapestry was none other than Nepal’s legendary singer/songwriter and composer, vocalist of Mongolian Heart Band Raju Lama. After immersing himself in the artist’s world, he remarked with heartfelt admiration, “It is truly an inspiration for everyone involved in art to witness such intricate work from an artist in his early eighties. The passion in his eyes as he narrates the stories behind each painting is simply phenomenal.”
Indeed, in every line, color, and tale, the artist proves that the spirit, when fueled by devotion, knows no age-only boundless expression.
Lisa Choegyal, the esteemed Honorary Consul of New Zealand to Nepal, shared her reflections with Team Khojpatra, her eyes still shimmering with the afterglow of the artist’s work. With genuine admiration, she remarked on the masterful harmony of hues that breathed life into each canvas. “The color combinations he has used are truly praiseworthy,” she said, her voice carrying both wonder and respect.
What captivated her further was the global recognition the artist has quietly garnered over the years. “It’s fascinating,” she noted, “to see that some of his works have already found their way into international museums-testament to the universal language of his art and the timeless spirit it carries.”
In her words, one could feel the quiet triumph of a life’s devotion translated into color, form, and reverence-art that transcends borders and speaks soul to soul.
The exhibition also drew the presence of a distinguished guest-His Excellency Dean R. Thompson, the American Ambassador to Nepal. As he moved through the gallery, taking in the layers of symbolism and sacred storytelling woven into each brushstroke, he paused to share his thoughts with quiet reverence.
“These paintings are truly fascinating,” he reflected, “as they beautifully intertwine philosophy and narrative. There’s a depth here that invites not just admiration, but contemplation.” With the gaze of someone deeply moved, he added, “Art lovers should come and experience these remarkable works-not just with their eyes, but with their imagination. Let the mind wander through the stories they tell.”
His words echoed an invitation-to see beyond the surface, to step into a realm where art is not just seen, but deeply felt, each painting becomes a meditation, a myth, a mirror.
The exhibition is on from the 20th April till the 17th of May.
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