The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutanese contemporary artist Pem Lham is the recipient of the 2026 Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize. She received the award from Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen at an award ceremony held at VAST Bhutan on 11 September.
The Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize is among the most significant international prizes for contemporary Himalayan art, for emerging and mid-career contemporary artists who are inspired by traditional Himalayan art forms and techniques.
Established in 2024, the annual $30,000 unrestricted cash award recognises both past contributions and supports future work. Recipients are selected by an international jury of experts alongside staff of the Rubin Museum.
Her Majesty thanked the Rubin Museum for its work in bringing the art and cultures of the Himalayan region to a wider audience, and for recognising contemporary Himalayan art through the prize.
Addressing the gathering, Her Majesty said, “In Bhutan, we are incredibly fortunate to have inherited such a rich artistic tradition. Art has always been part of how we live, through our architecture, our textiles, our spiritual traditions, and so much of our everyday life. Preserving and passing that heritage from one generation to the next is enormously important.”
“At the same time, for a tradition to remain alive, there must also be space for curiosity, experimentation and new expression. And this is where VAST has played such an important role, giving Bhutanese artists the space to explore, develop their own voices, and find new ways of expressing themselves,” Her Majesty said.
“I hope our artists never feel that they have to choose between being contemporary and being Bhutanese. I believe some of the most interesting work can emerge precisely where the two meet, where we can remain rooted in who we are while finding new ways to tell our stories to the world.”
The recognition of a Bhutanese artist with the Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize is a significant milestone for contemporary Bhutanese art, reflecting the growing confidence, ambition, and artistic maturity of Bhutanese artists, and their ability to contribute to global contemporary art and conversation.
Pem Lham is a multidisciplinary artist working across installation and painting, whose work explores identity, culture, gender, and lived experience. She has exhibited extensively across Bhutan and internationally, including in Switzerland, India, Nepal, and Belgium. Her first solo exhibition, “Molay Moley,” was held in Thimphu in 2025.
The event was jointly organised by VAST Bhutan and the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art.
VAST Bhutan is a non-profit and civil society organisation dedicated to promoting contemporary Bhutanese art and mentoring young artists in the country. The Rubin Museum is a global museum dedicated to presenting Himalayan arts and its insights.
