Himalayan Confluence: How the Kathmandu Triennale Rewrote Art World Geography

When the Kathmandu Triennale launched its inaugural edition in 2017, few in the global art world anticipated its rapid rise to prominence. Set in a landlocked Himalayan nation better known for its mountaineering tourism than its contemporary art scene, the event faced formidable challenges: minimal infrastructure, limited funding, political instability, and the devastating aftermath of the 2015 earthquake that had claimed nearly 9,000 lives and damaged countless historic structures. Yet within three editions, this upstart triennial has not only survived but thrived, emerging as what ArtAsiaPacific has called "the most significant art event in South Asia" and establishing itself as a vital counterpoint to the Western-dominated biennial circuit.

The Kathmandu Triennale's unlikely success story reveals larger shifts in global art world geography and points toward alternative models for cultural events that connect local traditions with global dialogues. "What's happening in Kathmandu isn't simply about creating another stop on the international art circuit," explains Sangeeta Thapa, founder of the Siddhartha Arts Foundation which organizes the event. "It's about asking fundamental questions about whose voices matter in contemporary art discourse and creating platforms where different knowledge systems can engage as equals."

The Triennale's origins lie in the Kathmandu International Art Festival, which was first held in 2009. Initially focused on environmental issues—Nepal faces acute challenges from climate change as Himalayan glaciers retreat—the festival attracted modest international attention. But its transformation into a triennale in 2017 marked a critical turning point. Belgian curator Philippe Van Cauteren was invited to direct this reimagined event, bringing international credibility while ensuring Nepali artists remained central to the program.

Van Cauteren's curatorial approach for the first Triennale, themed "My City, My Studio / My City, My Life," rejected the white cube gallery model that dominates Western exhibitions. Instead, he dispersed artworks across multiple historically and culturally significant venues throughout Kathmandu, creating what he called "a journey through the city as both exhibition space and subject." From the 16th-century Patan Museum to the modernist Taragaon Museum, these venues compelled visitors to engage not just with contemporary art but with Kathmandu's layered architectural and cultural history.

This innovative approach to venue selection has become a defining characteristic of the Triennale. "The buildings aren't neutral containers but active participants in the exhibition experience," notes Nepalese curator Sujan Chitrakar. "When you place contemporary art in a former Malla dynasty palace or a Rana-era military building, you create conversations across centuries. The artworks respond to these spaces, and the spaces transform how we experience the art."

The delayed fourth edition, "Kathmandu Triennale 2077" (February-March 2022), directed by Cosmin Costinas with co-curators Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Hit Man Gurung, marked a watershed moment. Originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition's title referenced the Nepali calendar year corresponding to 2020-21 in the Gregorian calendar—a seemingly small detail that signaled a larger philosophical stance.

"By centering the Nepali calendar, we were making a statement about which knowledge systems and temporalities we privilege," Rajbhandari explained in a 2022 interview. "It's a rejection of the universalizing claims of Western modernity and an acknowledgment that multiple ways of ordering time and knowledge coexist."

This edition featured over 300 artworks by more than 100 artists from 40+ countries, with a particular focus on indigenous artistic practices from Nepal, South Asia, and beyond. Rather than segregating "traditional" and "contemporary" art—a distinction that often relegates non-Western artistic practices to the realm of anthropology or craft—the exhibition placed them in direct dialogue. Paubha paintings by Nepali master artists were exhibited alongside video installations; performances drawing on indigenous rituals shared space with conceptual art; textiles and ceramics received the same curatorial attention as photography and new media.

This approach has profound implications for how we understand contemporary art. As art historian Sharareh Bajracharya, Director of the Siddhartha Arts Foundation, argues: "The Kathmandu Triennale doesn't just add more voices to the existing art world conversation; it questions the fundamental terms of that conversation. It asks us to reconsider what counts as contemporary, what counts as art, and who gets to decide."

The Triennale's impact extends beyond exhibition formats to encompass new models of artistic production and community engagement. Unlike many biennials that fly in international artists for brief installations, the Kathmandu Triennale emphasizes long-term relationships. Many participating artists undertake extended residencies, collaborating with local communities and traditional craftspeople. These collaborations have led to knowledge-sharing that flows in multiple directions, challenging the notion that artistic innovation moves only from centers to peripheries.

Looking ahead to the 2026 edition, to be curated by artist Nikhil Chopra and HH Art Spaces, the Kathmandu Triennale seems poised to further its mission of redrawing art world maps. The appointment of Chopra, known for performances that explore the porous boundaries between ritual, theater, and daily life, suggests a continued commitment to interdisciplinary approaches and the blurring of lines between different artistic traditions.

As the global art world grapples with questions of decolonization, climate crisis, and the limits of market-driven exhibition models, the Kathmandu Triennale offers compelling alternatives. From its innovative use of historic venues to its centering of indigenous knowledge systems to its community-engaged artistic production, it has created a distinctive model for art events that respond to local realities while engaging global dialogues. In doing so, it has helped shift the geography of the art world—not by mimicking established Western biennials but by charting its own path through the complex terrain of contemporary art.