The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art and sā Ladakh Biennale have launched a five-year partnership in which the Rubin will support a residency and the development of new work by a Himalayan artist across three biennales taking place in Ladakh, India.
sā, meaning soil in the Ladakhi language, is the world’s highest regenerative art biennale at over 3,000 meters above sea level, focusing on themes of climate, culture, and community. It was cofounded in 2023 by Tenzin Jamyang, Raki Nikahetiya, and Sagardeep Singh in a festival-led format that brought together artists from Ladakh, across India, and around the world to engage with the serene, fragile, and vast landscape of Disko Valley.
Beginning in 2026, the Rubin will be an art partner, supporting residencies and the creation of new works by living artists across three biennales in 2026, 2028, and 2030. This five-year partnership demonstrates the Rubin’s ongoing commitment in its decentralized, global model to supporting living artists and the commissioning of new work.
sā Ladakh Biennale takes place across the lived landscapes of Ladakh, India, unfolding along the approximately 215 kilometer-long Leh-Kargil corridor. One of the most visually stunning and historically profound areas in India, it once stood as a vital artery of the Silk Road, connecting cultures, commerce, and civilizations. Conceived as a non-white cube biennale, sā Ladakh Biennale presents contemporary artworks and practices that emphasize zero-to-minimal-footprint within ecological, cultural, and social terrains, engaging villages, learning spaces, and open geography across the region.
Work in Progress – Team members Mukulita Ganguly and Farhat Khan, along with fellow artists Tsering Youdol and Tsetan Angmo, are assisting artist Zarina Parveen in creating ‘Childhood Memories’ (2024). Photo by Gadapa Vishal Kumar.
‘Changpa’ – An immerse performance by Omaggio Performing Company, Goa. Photo by Koppisetti Sri Sai Vaishnavi.
Into the Pinke, 2024, Balser Doyel Joshi from India and Germany, with Students from Mahabodhi Residential School, Leh. Photo by Koppisetti Sri Sai Vaishnavi.
The Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art’s programs are made possible by generous donations from the Museum’s Board of Trustees, individual donors, foundations, corporations, and Friends of the Rubin.
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