Royal Textile Academy Opens Exhibitions on Bhutanese Textiles and the Fourth King

Two exhibitions at Thimphu’s Royal Textile Academy explore contemporary Bhutanese textiles and student interpretations of Bhutan’s fourth king.

The Royal Textile Academy in Thimphu has opened two exhibitions examining Bhutanese culture through contemporary textile design and student art.

Beyond the Weave presents new interpretations of traditional textile practices, while Yabsay explores the life and legacy of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutan’s fourth king.

Queen Mother Sangay Choden Wangchuck attended the opening ceremony. Both exhibitions will remain open to the public until 30 November 2026.

Traditional Techniques in Contemporary Textile Art

Beyond the Weave features work by Bhutanese textile designer and artist Sangay Choden. Drawing on almost two decades of experience, she combines weaving, felting and hand stitching to explore how traditional skills can be applied to contemporary textile art.

The exhibition reflects the continuing development of Bhutan’s textile traditions, which remain closely connected to clothing, identity, ceremony and regional craftsmanship.

Sangay Choden also hopes to encourage greater collaboration between designers and weavers. Her longer-term aim is to create opportunities for Bhutanese textile work to reach international markets while retaining the techniques and knowledge passed down through generations.

Such collaboration could help traditional skills remain economically relevant while giving artists greater space to experiment with materials, forms and methods.

Students Interpret the Fourth King’s Legacy

The second exhibition, Yabsay, brings together paintings by students and the art teacher of Druk School in Thimphu.

The artworks interpret the life and legacy of Jigme Singye Wangchuck through the interests, skills and perspectives of the participating artists. He reigned from 1972 until his abdication in 2006 in favour of his son, the present King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Art teacher Chorten Norbu guided the students in developing paintings based on how they understand the fourth king and his contributions to Bhutan. The works use different artistic styles but are presented under a shared theme.

The exhibition provides students with an opportunity to examine recent Bhutanese history through visual art. It also complements another exhibition at the Royal Textile Academy that opened earlier in 2026 to commemorate the fourth king’s 70th birth anniversary.

Supporting Textile Preservation and Arts Education

The Royal Textile Academy works to preserve and promote Bhutanese weaving through exhibitions, education, documentation and skills development. Its Textile Museum maintains collections illustrating the techniques, materials and cultural roles associated with Bhutanese textiles.

The Academy and the Textile Museum, which operates under the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, provided financial support for Beyond the Weave and Yabsay.

By presenting the work of an established textile artist alongside paintings by students and an educator, the exhibitions show two ways in which Bhutanese cultural knowledge is being interpreted by contemporary creators.

Both exhibitions can be viewed at the Royal Textile Academy in Thimphu until 30 November 2026.