Tibetan Artists’ Collective Khadhok Bags 2025 Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA 9 Oct: Khadhok—a Tibetan artists’ collective based here in Dharamsala has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize, an unrestricted $30,000 cash award and the largest international prize supporting contemporary art related to the Himalayan region.
“It was unbelievable when we first heard that we had been selected for the prize. It only truly sank in once the official announcement was made across social media. We realised then that it was really happening. We were overjoyed,” said artist Tashi Nyima, one of the co-founders of Khadhok, speaking to Tibet Express.
He added, “As a small collective with our own set of challenges, we’ve continued to work with dedication and perseverance. To be recognised by one of the largest institutions dedicated to Himalayan art felt incredibly affirming. It showed us that our art, and the effort behind it, was seen and supported. This recognition has definitely boosted our morale and motivation to continue our work into the future.”
Nyima co-founded Khadhok in 2023 with visual artist Tenzin Melak and Lea Taake, a theatre graduate who also serves as the caretaker of the late artist Jigme Choedak’s works. Together, they envisioned Khadhok as a space where contemporary Tibetan artists could share their work freely, where a community could grow across generations, and where art could inspire dialogue, reflection, and connection.
“Khadhok,” which means colours in Tibetan, was inspired by the dream of Jigme Choedak, aka JC (1997–2023), whose art practice was rooted in observing the subtle, often overlooked nuances of Tibetan culture. Jigme had long dreamed of creating a space where Tibetan artists could express themselves without restrictions and be recognised for their work – an inclusive and forward-thinking platform for Tibetan contemporary art.
Reflecting on his late friend’s vision, Tashi shared that the collective’s first exhibition, “Celebrating Jigme Choedak’s Art and Life,” was held at the Old Tibet Museum in Dharamsala. The event featured an art auction to benefit Jigme’s family, while also celebrating his creative legacy and marking the beginning of a collective committed to nurturing Tibetan artistic voices.
Khadhok is now a pivotal platform for Tibetan contemporary artists, providing space to showcase their work while also organising youth projects and workshops that foster artistic expression within the Tibetan diaspora.
The Tibetan artists’ collective’s 2025 annual group exhibition, “As the Mind Wishes,” is scheduled to take place from 25 October to 9 November in Dharamsala, featuring 22 Tibetan artists from both occupied Tibet and the exile community.
Recent projects include UNSETTLED (2024), a global group exhibition of 20 Tibetan artists; the Khadhok Mural Project (2025), which activated public spaces across Dharamshala with contemporary Tibetan art; Dreaming Tibet (2024–2025), a youth art initiative exhibited in Dharamshala and New Delhi; and Dear Kundun (2025), a global exhibition of artworks by Tibetan children marking the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
Khadhok’s achievement meant Tibetan artists bagged the Rubin Museum Himalayan Art Prize – established in 2024 “to support and recognise the work of living artists and collectives who have made a mark in creative and critically relevant dialogues between Himalayan art and contemporary life,” for the second year in a row.
Tenzin Gyurmey Dorjee, a Tibetan artist based in Dharamsala bagged the inaugural Rubin Art Prize in 2024.
