Founded in 2021, Terma Gallery is dedicated to the promotion of Bhutanese classical art and contemporary art. We celebrate creativity, openness and tolerance. We aim to be an inclusive platform both onsite and online that creates dialogues between the art of Bhutan and the world to foster and inspire a creative and inclusive society.
The gallery showcases highlights of some of the emerging artists as well as masterworks of prolonged established artists from around Bhutan. The gallery will embark on a series of qualitative art exhibitions every season dedicated to bringing greater attention to Bhutanese artists in the international art market. However, the gallery has clear intentions to build tighter roots with the local community, increase public visibility, share common grounds to develop collaborations for joint projects and develop, somehow, a pedagogic role to spread Bhutanese art through our fellow citizens and potential international art collectors.
Passang Tobgay
OWNER/FOUNDER of Terma
Born in 1984 in Trashigang, eastern Bhutan and grew up in a small village in the countryside. Tobgay began developing an interest in art at an early age. Besides the regular school activities, he learned to paint figures and patterns according to religious traditions. At the time he was making things to satisfy the wishes of the people, and a desire to become an artist blossomed in his heart.
In 1999, at the age of nineteen, Tobgay moved to the capital to study Tibetan Buddhist paintings at the National Institute of Zorig Chusum (Zorig — arts & crafts, Chusum — thirteen) in Thimphu, Bhutan. He obtained a diploma in classical Bhutanese art in the year 2006. Then, Tobgay taught Bhutanese art and history at Choki Traditional art school between the years 2006 and 2008.
He also became one of the senior members of the ‘VAST’ Voluntary Artists Studio, Thimphu. VAST was founded in 1998 by a group of professional artists as a not-for-profit organization. https://www.vastbhutan.org.bt/.
In 2010, Tobgay moved to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He studied at the Rietveld International University of Applied sciences for Fine Arts and Design. He graduated in 2015 with Fine Art specialized in creative practice and research. During his time in Amsterdam, he was exposed to and influenced by great art and techniques from around the world. Although Tobgay initially focused on painting, he soon became interested in a multifaceted array of creative work, including sculptural installations, photo and videography.
This exposure was a learning period for him and immediately recognized the decisive influence on his lifelong personal and professional interest in art practice. But he had a hard time being away from his family so early in 2021, he returned to Thimphu, a city and capital of Bhutan. His years in the Netherlands inspired him to establish his own gallery, Terma, back home.
He is a passionate and highly engaging artist/founder/entrepreneur who continues to place his fellow artists at the centre. He wants to give them a glimpse of exposure he enjoyed while being in the Netherlands to explore beyond their current views. With his gallery programs, he aims to raise the visitors’ awareness of the process behind the creation and presentation of art.
“I hope Terma gallery will one day take root in every city of the world and contribute to the vibrant life of each place.”