The Early History of Contemporary Art in Bhutan

Abstract

Bhutan today hosts a small but vibrant contemporary art scene centred in Thimphu and Paro. During my fieldwork in 2017, I counted no fewer than six galleries in Thimphu and another two in Paro showing contemporary art, not to mention the hotels and cafes that frequently display art by contemporary artists. All of this art presents a mystery: in the absence of the institutions commonly associated with contemporary art such as art schools, national galleries, and museums, how did contemporary art arise in Bhutan? Based on the life histories of artists and archival work at Kuensel, I argue that contemporary art grew out of increased exposure to
modern artistic practice, increased demand for new forms of visual culture, and a shift in the social organization of traditional artistic practice. Contemporary art, in this way, sheds light on how cultural modernity works in a country focused on cultural preservation.