Tenzing Rigdol

Place: Kathmandu

Born: 1982

Biography:

Tenzing Rigdol is a contemporary artist known for his thought-provoking art and installations, fostering cultural exchange through the Dialogue Artist Residency. His works have been exhibited worldwide, including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and he has published poetry collections.

Early Life and Education

Tenzing Rigdol was born in 1982 in Kathmandu, Nepal. He completed his education at the University of Colorado Denver College of Arts & Media, where he holds a master's degree in philosophy, a BA-BFA in art and art history, and was honored with an Honorary Doctorate in 2022 by the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

Career

Tenzing Rigdol is known for his expertise in thangka art. He has gained recognition for his ability to blend Tibetan heritage with modern artistic expressions. One of his notable projects involved using 20,000 kg of Tibetan soil from Shigatse for an installation in Dharamshala, symbolizing a connection to Tibet for displaced Tibetans.

His artwork Pin drop silence: Eleven-headed Avalokiteshvara was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2014.
He established the Dialogue Artist Residency (DAR) to encourage collaboration between Tibetan and international artists.
Rigdol has collaborated with Tibetan filmmakers and contributed to the documentary Bringing Tibet Home (2013).
He has published three collections of poems, including R–The Frozen Ink, Anatomy of Nights, and Butterfly’s Wings.