First pictorial testimonies
The oldest paintings in Mongolia can be found in the caves of Khoit Tsenkheriin Agui, in theaimag (or province) of Khovd. These ochre-toned cave paintings date back to the Stone Age, between 20,000 and 15,000 years ago. The symbols that adorn the walls and ceilings surround a rich bestiary: deer, buffalo, mammoths, antelopes, camels and ostriches are entwined on the rock. Unique in Mongolia, these wall paintings reflect the exaggerated forms common at the time.
This primitive art was followed by Buddhist religious art. Paintings of this kind are produced on leather, silk, cotton or linen supports, materials that are easy to fold and transport. The colors are made from mineral pigments, and have (as in Tibet) a strong symbolic value. Thus, blue represents fidelity and eternity; yellow, wealth, love and spirituality; red, joy; and white, holiness and purity. The technique of appliqué was only developed later, in monasteries, for larger format paintings that no longer needed to be transported. Fine examples of this technique can be admired at the Erdene Zuu monastery in Kharkhorin.
Religious painting dominated the arts until the early 20th century.
Ancestral sculptures
In the Bronze Age, around 1000 B.C., reindeer stones appeared at the confluence of painting and sculpture. Made on grey granite or marble tablets, they measure between 2 and 5 metres in height and seem to be linked to shamanistic practices. The paintings are generally divided into three parts. The upper third depicts the moon and sun, thus representing the Great Sky. The middle of the stone is occupied by reindeer, traditionally said to carry the spirit of the dead to its new home. Finally, the bottom third is the underworld, represented by bows, arrows or swords. Generally assembled in groups of at least five stelae, reindeer stones were used to mark the location of the tombs of kings or warriors. There are around 500 in Mongolia, but they can also be found elsewhere in Central Asia.
A variant is the man-stone(khunni chukuu). Clearly of Turkish origin (they are also found throughout Central Asia), these flat statues depict a man holding a bowl at chest height, sometimes armed with a sword. Generally facing east, they seem to be associated with funerary practices.
The importance of Buddhism
It wasn't until Buddhism took hold in Mongolia that exceptional sculpture reappeared. This field is marked by the painter and sculptor Zanabazar (1635-1723), the first spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism to live in Mongolia. Trained in Lhasa, he brought back all the techniques of Tibetan art, which he enriched with the specificities of Mongolian culture. An art school bearing his name was thus created. What sets him apart is the highly humanized nature of his depictions of divinities, particularly goddesses. The latter are endowed with very feminine forms and expressions of almost maternal gentleness, which did not exist in Tibetan representations before him.
A center of Buddhist art between 1600 and 1920, Mongolia excelled in the art of the mandala. Paintings and sculptures serve as meditation aids and are destroyed after the time of meditation. On the other hand, the scrolls or thangka, richly decorated with animals, are preserved.
Mongolian Zurag
The term, which literally means "Mongolian painting", refers to a national painting movement that emerged in Mongolia in the early 20th century. This emergence coincided with independence from China, and was reinforced after the 1921 Revolution. Nationalist themes were naturally favored, supported by traditional techniques. Drawings are traced on cotton canvas using mineral pigments or Indian ink.
Representative of this movement, Balduugiin Sharav (or Marzan Sharav) was influenced by Soviet art. Born in 1869 and died in 1939, this painter represents the transition from the old to the new, both in art and in Mongolian society. His best-known work, A Day in Mongolia(Mongolyn neg ödör), depicts the Mongolian way of life in a traditional Buddhist style. It is housed in the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts in Ulaanbaatar. Since 1966, this institution has housed collections of Mongolian masters from the 18th to the 20th century. Other well-known paintings by Marzan Sharav include portraits of Bogd Khan and his wife, Queen Dondogdulam. Bogd Khan, proclaimed emperor in 1911, gave his name to Mongolia's oldest museum, the Winter Palace and Museum of the Bogd Khan. It now houses the richest art collection in Mongolia, with over 8,600 works of art.
Modern trends
The 1960s and 1970s saw a return to traditional appliqué techniques, bringing a breath of fresh air to a production of oil paintings devoted exclusively to the glory of socialist achievements. It was also during these decades that Mongolian artists turned to the West and to abstraction. The artist Purewbat Gankhuu began to introduce modernism to Mongolia. However, the first abstract works were banned by the Soviets.
The Democratic Revolution of 1990 marked a new, more radically contemporary turn. Its leading exponent, Otgonbayar Ershuu, was born in 1981 in Ulaanbaatar. A precocious artist, he exhibited his work from the age of 15. He trained in traditional Mongolian painting in Ulaanbaatar, then studied miniature painting in Buddhist monasteries. Now based in Berlin, OTGO has already produced 600 works and exhibits worldwide.
With the end of the Soviet era, contemporary art was given a new lease of life. This benefits abstract and street art. Today's artists are particularly interested in the issue of preserving nomadic traditions in the face of galloping urbanization. Some of them are introducing contemporary art to the Mongolian steppes, staging art performances in ovoo or yurts, as artists from the Blue Sand collective did in 2012.
The government-funded National Gallery of Modern Art exhibits modern Mongolian art. The 4,200-piece collection explores Mongolian identity across all creative fields.
Street art in Ulaanbaatar
The streets of the capital bear witness to three generations of graffiti artists. In the 1990s, ANZ, considered the godfather of Mongolian graffiti, established himself as a source of inspiration. He was followed by a second generation of artists, from 2005 onwards, led by Deez, Eto and Heesco. In 2014, TNMC (The Nasty Methods Crew) brought together Dasher, Sane2, Risky, Emak and TEM. They each develop their own style, each their own approach. What unites them is their desire to appeal to the widest possible audience.
TEM is also behind Nomad Ink, the country's first street art festival. The event brings together artists from all over the world.
The young "Nogoonbaatar, International Eco Art Festival" was born in the capital. Its aim? To make people's dream of living in harmony with nature and breathing fresh air a reality. To this end, the festival invites street artists from Germany, France and the Czech Republic to share their experiences and support ecological initiatives. They have collaborated with contemporary Mongolian artists including Ts.Ariuntugs, T.Enkhbold, E.Jantsankhorol, R.Luvsandorj, Ts.Tuvshinjargal, N.Amarsaikhan, O.Tuguldur, B.Ider, R.Chinzorig, B .Bat-Erdene, J.Shijirbaatar, M.Munkh-Erdene. Their works combine street art, paintings and sculptures, and are located around the Uuliin Nuur park. The idea is that, in time, the area around the park will become a place for strolling, as well as an open-air museum.
Current scene
The young generation is brimming with talent and initiative. In summer, the contemporary art biennial has been adapting to nomadic life since 2010. Itinerant, Land Art Mongolia takes place among the yurts. Inspired by the immensity of the landscape, the artists invited to the event seek to redefine society in the light of the climate emergency, through original proposals.
A more traditional gallery, Altan Khaan works to promote young artists internationally. A large proportion of its artists are women. Dulguun Baatarsukh, born in Ulan Bator in 1984, graduated in painting and fashion design from the School of Fine Arts of the Mongolian University of Arts and Culture. She pursues a dual career in painting and fashion design. Her imagination stands out for its surrealist tones. Dulguun is a member of the women's stage group Vague Nomade and the art movement Soleil Bleu.
Ecological issues are central to the work of many artists. Munkhtsetseg Batmunkh (Muujii), born in 1982, raises awareness of environmental issues and living conditions in her native country. She uses natural materials such as Mongolian felt, which is used to make yurts. Concerned with passing on the Mongolian heritage to future generations, Ulziijavkhlan Adyabaatar (Javkhaa), born in 1981, paints everyday life in the countryside in scenes of profound serenity. Her work on the link between life and flora is in line with the trend towards eco-art. Similarly, the watercolors of Munkhzul Bundgaa (alias Zulaa), bear witness to a strong sensitivity to Mother Nature and God.
Two resolutely modern artists: sculptor, painter and teacher Ganbold Dorjderem (Bono) was born in Ulaanbaatar in 1982. Because of his unstructured silhouettes, he is often dubbed the "Picasso of Mongolia". Movement and horses are the central themes in the impressionist paintings of Bazarvaani Sambuu, born in 1982 in Uliastai, Zavkhan province. He doesn't hesitate to carve his colorful materials with a knife.
Between tradition and modernity, Naidandorj Enkhbaatar (Naigaa), born in 1986, has acquired a solid grounding in traditional Mongolian drawing and painting. His classical training enables him to consolidate his exploration of innovative techniques. To this end, he combines Zurag, modern drawing and the possibilities offered by acrylic painting. Proud of his traditions, Naigaa calls for respect for today's Mongolia and its cultural heritage. In this sense, he carries the message of a whole generation of talent.
