Pigment producers push to protect ancient art

The Tibet autonomous region is famous for its elegant, colorful architecture, especially its Buddhist temples. However, some traditional handicrafts and skills are being lost as the region engages ever more closely with the modern world. Palden Nyima reports from Lhasa.

For most people, the phrase "Tibetan art" calls to mind images of a range of handicrafts, including traditional scroll paintings, known as thangkas. However, few people are familiar with the pigments that artists in the Tibet autonomous region use to paint the thangkas.

The production of mineral pigments is an ancient art in Tibet, but it's heading for extinction at a rapid pace. "The production of mineral pigments is an interesting part of Tibetan traditional culture that was inherited by our ancestors. We want to ensure that it lasts forever," said Penpa, a thangka master and instructor in pigment production in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.