Mongolia | Ulaan Baatar | Soyolma | Mönkhtsetseg

Had to venture out to the eastern suburbs of UB for an acupuncture treatment so while I was in the neighborhood I thought I would drop into the Studio of Acclaimed Artist Soyolma and see what she was working on.

Soyolma

Turns out she had just finished this painting of a Dakini.

Dakini

She had been working on this same painting the last time I was in her studio. Then, however, this dakini had been completely nude. Her vulva was quite clearly portrayed, with the mons veneris and labia majora delineated in considerable detail. Also, she was portrayed without pubic hair. This, I might add, seems to be a growing trend among Mongolian women in general, or so I have been told. Anyhow, now she was portrayed with a shawl wrapped around her waist. This struck me as a bit odd. Does artists always paint bodies in the nude and then paint clothes over them? It would seem to me—not being an artist of course—that it would be easier just to paint the clothes and not bother with the body underneath. Isn’t it a lot of extra work to paint in a finely detailed vulva and then paint a shawl over it? I was curious, but I did not feel comfortable discussing this issue with Soyolma, and anyhow I don’t think her English would be up to the task. I know my Mongolian isn’t. I don’t even know the Mongolian for vulva. I really must get cracking on my Mongolian studies.

Anyhow, Soyolma had several other works on display.

Work by Soyolma

Detail of Work by Soyolma

Work by Soyolma

From Soyolma’s studio we popped across the street to the underground studio of the ever-stunning and ravishingly gorgeous Mönkhtsetseg. She herself is the daughter of an artist very famous for his paintings of traditional Mongolian scenes—khans galloping around the steppe, herdsmen drinking airag, etc. Mönkhtsetseg’s work is quite different, as can be seen below:

Work by Mönkhtsetseg

Work by Mönkhtsetseg

Work by Mönkhtsetseg

A more traditional work by Mönkhtsetseg

Mongolia | Ulaan Baatar | Roerich Redux

Mosied out to the eastern suburbs of Ulaan Baatar for Another Visit to the proposed site of the Roerich-Mongolia Museum.

Building where the Roerichs stayed during their 1926–27 sojourn in Ulaan Baatar. There are plans afoot to turn the building into a museum devoted to the Roerichs.

Group of dignitaries convened to discuss the restoration project

Restoration Project Panjandrums: from left to right, Professor Ishdorj (in black coat); Ulaan Baatar-based badarchin, gazarchin, translator (The Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa), author (Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation), man-about-town, and international gadabout Glenn Mullin; Professor Bira, who studied with George Roerich in Moscow back in the 1950s; an attaché from the Canadian Embassy who was being hit up for funding; and Soyolma, who is serving as Artistic Adviser on the project.

The ever-lovely Soyolma whose works were recently featured at the Pearl Gallery. See More of Soyolma’s Works.

Soyolma listening with rapt attention as Batdorj, former Director of the Zanabazar Museum and now freelance artist-impresario, presents a proposal for a stone monument to the Roerichs.

Details of the proposed Roerich Monument, which would be placed in the courtyard of the museum.

Soyolma in front of the old Russian-style stove inside the museum building

Group entranced by Glenn Mullin and his spellbinding presentation

Canadian Embassy Attaché still spellbound

Work on restoring the outside of the building should begin in two or three weeks. The plan is to have the interiors of at least a couple of the rooms completed by this summer and open to the public. How You Can Help.

Mongolia | Ulaan Baatar | Pearl Gallery | Art Show

Popped over to the Pearl Gallery, located next to the Vegetarian Center Restaurant (which by the way has been receiving Rave Reviews) just south of the Bayangol Hotel. On display were new works by Soyolma, one of whose works has just been named “Painting of the Year” in Mongolia.

The lovely Soyolma and her Buddha

Soyolma’s Buddha

Soyolma’s painting of Milarepa

Soyolma’s “The Horse,” named “Painting of the Year” in Mongolia

The Wildly Acclaimed and Drop-Dead Gorgeous Artist Mönkhtsetseg on the left. In the last ten years her works have been featured in twenty-three exhibitions. On the right is Lionized to Say Nothing of Charming and Gracious Ceramics Artist Otgonbayar.

Original ceramic work by Otgonbayar on display. Contrary to a rumor circulating at the gallery, Mönkhtsetseg did not, repeat DID NOT, pose as the model for this work. The irresponsible rumormongers spreading this tale should be hauled off to Sükhbaatar Square and given a sound horse-whipping for the edification of the general populace.

Mongolia | Ulaan Baatar | Soyolma and Her Works

Scampered out to the artist Soyolma’s studio. The lovely, gracious, and charming Soyolma is a member of a whole family of renowned artists. Soyolma herself was declared Mongolia’s “Top Female Artist of the Year” in 2007.

Soyolma

One of Soyolma’s works

Another of Soyolma’s works

Detail

Still another of Soyolma’s works

Painting of Narkhajid

According to legend the wife of Hari, the Eighteenth Kalkin King of Shambhala (Khaan Sengeychagya in Mongolian) was an emanation of Narkhajid. Dorjinnaljirma, the consort of Zanabazar, the First Bogd Gegeen of Mongolia, was also believed to be an emanation of Narkhajid.

A different version of Narkhajid

Narkhajid drinking blood from a human skull. My kind of gal!

A White Tara by Soyolma

Some of Soyolma’s works are currently on display at the Union of Mongolian Artists’ Gallery located on the south side of Sükhbaatar Square, in the same building with the Jumbo TV Screen outside. (Just today the Jumbo TV was showing ads for Macbooks; how bizarre is that!) If you are in the neighborhood drop on by. And the Silk Road Restaurant is only a couple of minutes’ walk away! Stop in and chew the fat with Batbold!

Building with the Mongolian Artists’ Gallery