The Bhutanese Leading the way.
It has been more than a year since Ukranian sand artist Kseniya Simonova, winner of the Ukranie’s Got Talent’ 2009 has been preparing to perform sand art depicting His Majesty the Fourth King, the people and the beautiful landscape of the Bhutan.
She was in the country upon the command of His Majesty the King to perform her sand art work live at BBS studio. Her performance of 30 minutes was broadcast live to the nation through BBS 2 channel.
Wearing an attractive attire and using her right hand, she began her sand art by creating the breathtaking landscape of Bhutan with a grey sky, dark mountain and violent flowing river.
Alongside the slopes of the mountain, she created the picturesque giant old Wangduephodrang Dzong adorning it with the half moon and the crystal clear sky with bright sunshine.
Kseniya Simona said, ‘The most difficult thing is to draw the picture of the Dzong, it is very big like Russian architecture’.
As she continued her sand art, she drew the portrait of the His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. After completing it she gently wiped out the pictures that she created.
Assuming that she had completed her art, the audience who came to witness her fine art clapped for the wonderful performance.
But, to the surprise of the audience, she again created some high mountains with snow capped peaks, river flowing down the gorges, roads passing through, a school building, hydro-power projects and an air plane flying over the sky.
Her sand art clearly conveyed the Socio-Economic development brought in by the His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo during his 34 years reign.
One of the interesting pictures that she created was that of His Majesty the Fourth King meeting and talking with school going kids in the Yangchenphug school dress. She described His Majesty the Fourth King as a kind-hearted, sociable and approachable leader.
Dasho Karma said,’ “This proves that the art as a medium can reflect the context so quickly. With sand she could draw the Bhutanese landscape and the Portrait of His Majesty’.
Towards the end she wrote Long Live the Kings 2015 Thimphu Bhutan on her sand art.
She said the meaning of the art is the story of the Fourth King as she could see it.
Coming to Bhutan she received a Royal Audience with the His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen who, she said, were very kind and approachable. She said, “ I love Bhutan so much, I respect His Majesty the King and Bhutan has got the most beautiful Queen in the world.” she said.
The Ukrainian sand artist will leave the Country today through Delhi. She plans to perform sand arts based on the four seasons through classical music at her home theater with support from a Ukrainian actress.
“It was my husband who told me that I should do something. He is my inspiration,” she said.
“After I discovered the biography of the Fourth King I understood that he is truly in love with his country and he worked hard since the age of seventeen just to improve the lives of the people. He is very famous for Gross National Happiness and that is also what Bhutan is known for,” she said.
“Unfortunately in our country and in most countries there is corruption unlike in Bhutan and I see how happy the people here are,” she said.
The live performance of her sand art was graced by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Lyonpo Damcho Dorji, Works and Human Settlement Minister Lyonpo Dorji Choden, National Assembly Speaker Tshogpon Jigme Zangpo, National Council Chairperson Thrizin Sonam King , Dasho Karma Ura and many high profile dignitaries from within and outside the country.
