The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art will support Nepali artist Amrit Karki in developing a new work for the 2026 sā Ladakh Biennale, the museum said Thursday, marking the start of a five-year partnership with the regenerative art event in northern India.
The biennale is scheduled for Aug. 1-10 across Ladakh, a high-altitude region in India’s far north, and will feature artists working in villages, learning spaces and open landscapes along the Leh-Kargil corridor. The Rubin said the collaboration reflects its commitment to supporting living artists and commissioning new work in the Himalayan region.
Karki, who lives and works in Pokhara, Nepal, will take part in a monthlong residency in Ladakh in July before presenting new work at the biennale. He is the first artist from Nepal to participate in the event, which this year carries the theme “Signals from Another Star”.
Karki is a visual and performing artist known for durational, conceptual works that explore the relationship between the ephemeral and the eternal. In 2024, he created the five-day performance “What You Have Given Me, I Set Free Forever” at Nepal Art Council gallery as part of the Rubin’s exhibition “Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now”.
“I am honored to be present at sā Ladakh Biennale and bring echoes from one Himalayan culture to another,” Karki said in the release. “Nepal and Ladakh share deep roots in spirituality and mythology, and there is a resonance in how we shape our environments while being shaped by it”.
Michelle Bennett Simorella, director of global projects and collections at the Rubin, said Karki’s work fits well with the biennale’s focus on land, memory, climate and lived experience. Rubin Executive Director Jorrit Britschgi said the long-term partnership will support projects that engage monasteries and local communities while respecting the environment through sustainable practices.
The 2026 edition is curated by Vishal K. Dar with Tsering Motup and will include artists from Ladakh and around the world, according to the release. Organizers describe sā Ladakh as the world’s highest regenerative art biennale, with a focus on climate, culture and community.
Other participating artists include Zahara Batool, Avantika Bawa, Shupiwe Chongwe, Hylozoic/Desires, Tundup Dorjay, Chemat Dorjey, Studio Eidola, Tom Mùller, Stanzin Samphel, Stanzin Tsepel, Stanzin Wangail and Urgain Zawa. Special projects will include work by Jigmet Angmo, Ayan Biswas, Anna Jermolaewa, Jitish Kallat, Peter Kogler, Agnieszka Kurant, Tashi Namgial, Tenzin Olden, Skarma Sonam Tashi, Grazia Toderi and Arunima Dazess Wangchuk.
The Rubin said the partnership builds on its work to expand support for Himalayan artists and scholars through exhibitions, grants, educational programs and international collaborations. The museum said its wider network of regional partnerships includes projects in Bhutan and Nepal.
The sā Ladakh Biennale was co-founded in 2023 and is intended as a long-term cultural initiative rooted in learning, collaboration and ethical curation. It is developed with community, cultural and international exchange partners, including local organizations in Ladakh and institutions such as the German Embassy to India, the Austrian Embassy to India, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and the Australian High Commission.
The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, founded in 2004, presents Himalayan art through exhibitions, digital programs and partnerships. The museum says its collection includes nearly 4,000 objects spanning 1,500 years of history.
Susan Shrestha
View More PostsSusan Shrestha is a Europe-based journalist. He covers a wide range of topics, from local matters to global affairs. Shrestha previously worked as a reporter for Khasokhas in Nepal.
