Elena Pakhoutova; Karl Debreczeny; Rubin Museum of Art

The first fully-illustrated introductory book about the story of Himalayan art and culture. Published as part of the Rubin Museum’s Project Himalayan Art, which also includes an extensive digital platform and traveling exhibition designed to expand knowledge and understanding of Himalayan art and culture. Includes highlights in an accessible yet substantive visual presentation written by over 70 international authors representing a range of disciplines. In this beautifully illustrated volume, the fascinating story of Himalayan art is illuminated through a selection of significant objects from the Neolithic era to today. Paintings, sculptures, drawings, textiles, architectural structures, and more serve as a guide to the historical traditions, rituals, social practices, and art forms from Tibetan, Indian, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Mongolian, and Chinese regions, emphasizing cross-cultural exchange with Tibet at the center. Photographs and essays bring each object to life, introducing readers to the diversity and uniqueness of Tibetan, Himalayan, and Inner Asian art and practices, while highlighting the importance of the region in understanding broader Asia. Selected and authored by an international group of scholars and curators, these 108 objects offer an accessible introduction to this rich yet underrepresented field. This highly anticipated publication is part of the Rubin Museum’s Project Himalayan Art, an initiative to cultivate resources for teaching and learning about Himalayan art and cultures.

Debreczeny, Karl, and Elena Pakhoutova. Himalayan Art in 108 Objects. New York: Rubin Museum of Art; In association with Scala Arts Publishers Inc., 2023.

Himalayan Art 108 Objects Book cover

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Headshot of Karl Debreczeny

Karl Debreczeny is senior curator, collections and research, at the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art. His research focuses on artistic, religious, and political exchanges between the Tibetan and Chinese traditions. His publications include The Black Hat Eccentric: Artistic Visions of the Tenth Karmapa (2012) and the coedited The Tenth Karmapa and Tibet’s Turbulent Seventeenth Century (2016). More →

Elena Pakhoutova is senior curator, Himalayan art, at the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art and holds a PhD in Asian art history from the University of Virginia. She has curated several exhibitions at the Rubin, including Death Is Not the End (2023), The Power of Intention: Reinventing the (Prayer) Wheel (2019), and The Second Buddha: Master of Time (2018). More →

More About Project Himalayan ArtMore About Project Himalayan Art

Large white brick building with gold roof perched on hill surrounded by white and red walls. Fields, trees, and mountains in background
Project Himalayan Art
This flagship educational initiative encourages the widespread incorporation of Tibetan, Himalayan, and Inner Asian art and cultures in undergraduate curricula, and also presents Himalayan art to the general public.
February 15–July 27, 2025
Gateway to Himalayan Art

Utah Museum of Fine Arts
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

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