Zhou Tianya - Tibetan Bride II

Watercolor painting by Zhou Tianya from Shenzhen, China.

Artist Statement: In Purang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, a very unique Tibetan costume, Purang Costume, has been preserved to this day. It has a history of more than a thousand years. Purang clothing is a family property for generations. Not only is it gorgeous, but also expensive and rare, it is only worn at festivals and weddings, it is rare to see, and the number is getting less and less, it is a traditional culture that is disappearing. What I portray is a bride wearing a gorgeous Purang costume. In feudal society, and in many underdeveloped areas in Tibet and the other part of the world today, marriage is not based on free love. This has caused the young girl to have a complex psychology of joy and sorrow when she's married. This work mainly adopts Purang bride's facial expressions and body language portray this ambivalence, which shows the bride's joy and shyness, and also conveys the hope and a light worry about the future. The most fascinating thing is the headdress mask of Purang clothing.