The VAST Bhutan Centre has become a living, breathing landscape of creation. Dressed in long coats, painted shirts, and energy, we are working through mornings and nights with unwavering dedication—and YES a lot of FUN.
At the center of the magic is Asha, the Festival Director, shuttling between the art shelter in Punakha and Thimphu. When Asha’s bolero arrives, it is loaded with lungta art works and old flags. We unload the flags and then gather to check in on the progress collectively and individually.
Asha opens his “black book” of master plans while excited artists and friends gather around, amused and inspired by the ambitious scale of what we are building together. Every day, the transformation continues.
The VAST space is undergoing a total facelift. Amidst the drills, hammers, metals, flowers, sand, soil, brushes and splashing paint, visitors often stop to watch us or stare at heaps of weathered, soiled prayer flags. While some might see just a heap of old flags, to us, these old flags are our treasure and the heart of the festival. Artists are constantly testing the limits of wood, metal, ink, and fabric, finding a place for every idea. The heaps of old prayer flags are addressing a call to action.
Friends drop by to lend a hand, bringing tea, food, and treats and join the spirit of the collective. We tell our friends; your treat is an act of “Lungta Sa.” These gatherings have sparked a vital dialogue: discussing biodegradable materials for prayer flags, reusable cutleries, and sustainable actions that honor our spirituality and our environment.
As the launch approaches, the “noise” of hammering, drills and the like has turned into a symphony of joy. As the artists come to submit their artworks, they are surprised to see how the space has shifted from a workshop into a sacred site of spiritual and ecological renewal.
