Art Beyond the Gallery
Art has moved out of the gallery and into the mountains of Ladakh, exploring culture, memory and environmental change along the high-altitude Leh-Kargil corridor at the inaugural sa Ladakh Biennale.
Footage taken on Saturday shows visitors touring installations beside traditional buildings and walking through streets decorated with artworks.
Artists are also seen speaking beside their open-air pieces.
“It is very exciting to see artworks in different landscapes that are new to me, and see how things are responding to me in that landscape in a specific way. I am really engaging in deep histories here and then reimagining future works as well,” visitor Sambuel commented.
Art Across Ladakh
Titled ‘Signals from Another Star’, the programme brings together 12 Ladakhi and international artists and artist duos, alongside special, collateral and off-site projects. Their work is spread across villages, learning spaces and open landscapes, rather than confined to a conventional exhibition hall.
“I created this artwork to depict our traditional attire and help preserve our cultural heritage. It features the traditional headgear once worn by Ladakhi women,” artist Stanzin Wangail said. “Through this piece, I want to pay tribute to our culture, traditions, and identity, while celebrating and keeping our rich heritage alive for future generations.”
Folklore Meets Modern Art
Artist Jigmet Angmo draws on Ladakhi folklore, centring her work on Dungjonma, a witch said to pull the main supporting beam from a house and ride it while hunting for prey. The supernatural figure becomes a metaphor for collapse and survival.
“The displaced Dunjunma in front of a red background, and then there is a rope that goes around the house, and the rope is the hair of Dunjunma who, when she pulls out the Dungma, she leaves a hair with the whole roof intact, so it’s also about this invisible force that supports you when things go really uncertain and unstable life,” she noted.
Land, Culture And Community
The name ‘sa’ means ‘soil’ in Ladakhi. Organisers say the biennale supports low-footprint artistic practices and long-term collaboration with local communities, while exploring the links between land, climate, culture and everyday life.
Visitors can travel from either Leh or Kargil and explore the installations at their own pace. The works will remain on view from August 1 to 10.
The inaugural sa Ladakh Biennale is the third major edition of the wider sa Ladakh art initiative, following exhibitions in 2023 and 2024.
Article by Viory.
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