Samjhana Rajbhandari | Contemporary Visual Artist
16 Jul 2026
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Samjhana Rajbhandari is a contemporary visual artist and educator based in Kathmandu, Nepal. With over two decades of artistic practice, she has established herself as both an accomplished painter and a dedicated mentor, balancing an active studio practice with a long-standing career in art education.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (2004) and Master of Fine Arts (2012) from Tribhuvan University. Since then, Rajbhandari has presented numerous solo exhibitions in Nepal and internationally while participating in national and international exhibitions, workshops, collaborative installations, and artist residency programs.
Alongside her artistic practice, Rajbhandari has made significant contributions to art education in Nepal. She currently serves as a Lecturer at Sirjana College of Fine Arts and continues to teach at several educational institutions, nurturing emerging artists through decades of experience in the classroom.
Her work has been exhibited in the United Kingdom and she has represented Nepal through exhibitions, workshops, and cultural exchanges across Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Kenya, the Maldives, South Korea, Lithuania, and India. These international engagements have contributed to an expanding dialogue between her practice and contemporary art beyond Nepal.
Rajbhandari has received several notable recognitions, including the Best Women Artist Award from Creative Women Group Nepal, Best Women Artist Nepal by JCI Nepal, and the Arniko Yuva Puraskar. In addition to her visual art practice, she is also the author of Colours of Life, a children's storybook published in 2013.
Education:
- Master of Fine Arts, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 2012
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 2004
Professional Experience:
- Lecturer, Sirjana College of Fine Arts (2015–Present)
- Art Instructor, Nisarga Batika School, Kathmandu (2015–Present)
- Art Instructor, American Mission Association Nepal (2011–Present)
- Art Instructor, Kanjirowa National School (1998–2014)
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
- A Tribute to the Past, Nepal Art Council, Kathmandu, 2022
- Freedom, Sarwanam Art Gallery, Kathmandu, 2019
- Image of Life, G.G. Machan, Kathmandu, 2019
- Himalayan Painting of Nepal, United Kingdom, 2018
- Transition, Sarwanam Art Gallery, Kathmandu, 2014
- Image of Imagination, 2012
- Expression of Trees, Imago Dei, 2010
- Trees: Artifacts of Nature, GTZ, 2009
- Mirage of Nature, Nepal Art Council, 2007
Awards & Recognition:
- Best Women Artist Award, Creative Women Group Nepal, 2017
- Best Women Artist Nepal, JCI Nepal, 2017
- Arniko Yuva Puraskar, 2013
Publications:
- Colours of Life – Children's Storybook, 2013
International Engagement: Samjhana Rajbhandari has participated in exhibitions, workshops, collaborative installations, and artist residency programs in Nepal and internationally. Her artistic engagements have taken her to the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Kenya, the Maldives, South Korea, Lithuania, and India.
