A JOURNEY THROUGH VULNERABILITY - by MUNKHTSETSEG Jalkhaajav
20 April - 27 November 2022
Mongolia Pavilion - Calle S. Biasio, Castello 2131, 30122 Venezia
20 April - 27 November 2022
Mongolia Pavilion - Calle S. Biasio, Castello 2131, 30122 Venezia
A JOURNEY THROUGH VULNERABILITY
The fourth appearance of Mongolia at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia features Munkhtsetseg Jalkhaajav (Mugi), one of the foremost figures of contemporary art in Mongolia. During her long-distinguished career, Mugi (b.1967) has significantly contributed to the growth of Mongolian contemporary art and has exhibited locally and internationally. Mugi’s artistic practice incorporates sculptures, paintings, videos, and performances and explores the notion of pain, fear, healing, and rebirth. Mainly reflecting her personal experiences, Mugi’s work investigates the complexities of female bodies, minds, and souls, and the connection with one-self and nature, capturing the tensions between different realms. Seemingly fictional yet grounded, her unique works embody invisible forces, such as spirits and myths, and tell sensible stories of women, unborn children, and the sorrowful fates of animals.
Inspired by Mongolian traditional healing methods and spiritual therapy, the process of her artistic creation is deeply intuitive and ritual-like. Through embodiments of the subject matter that evoke strong sentiments and juxtapositions of symbolic elements used for healing and protection, she meditatively examines the nature of her own anxiety and the process of its healing. Her particular ways of tearing, cutting, collating and stitching imply pain, anxiety, fear, hope and patience and create a specific language that allows Mugi to articulate and manifest her inner feelings and visions. In her works, birds represent the pulse of life, pregnancy, healing and protection, whereas female bodies represent her constant search for inner strength. The concept of reincarnation is the foremost interest of her artistic journey.
A Journey Through Vulnerability presents a series of installations, including soft sculptures, collages, video pieces, created by the artist during the last 15 years. The works are spread across three different rooms titled “Miscarriage”, “Dream of Gazelle”, and “Pulse of Life” and narrate stories of women and animals, offering the viewer a journey through the intimate, fragile, yet powerful world of Mugi.
The exhibition is curated by Gantuya Badamgarav, the founding director of the Mongolian Contemporary Art Support Association. She initiated and organized Mongolia’s first-ever participation at the 56th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2015, then the Mongolian Pavilion at the Biennale Arte 2017 and Biennale Arte 2019, curating the latter one. Upon the initiative led by the Minister of Culture Nomin Chinbat, 2022 Mongolia Pavilion follows a landmark decision made by the Government to ensure the continued participation of Mongolia henceforth at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
The fourth appearance of Mongolia at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia features Munkhtsetseg Jalkhaajav (Mugi), one of the foremost figures of contemporary art in Mongolia. During her long-distinguished career, Mugi (b.1967) has significantly contributed to the growth of Mongolian contemporary art and has exhibited locally and internationally. Mugi’s artistic practice incorporates sculptures, paintings, videos, and performances and explores the notion of pain, fear, healing, and rebirth. Mainly reflecting her personal experiences, Mugi’s work investigates the complexities of female bodies, minds, and souls, and the connection with one-self and nature, capturing the tensions between different realms. Seemingly fictional yet grounded, her unique works embody invisible forces, such as spirits and myths, and tell sensible stories of women, unborn children, and the sorrowful fates of animals.
Inspired by Mongolian traditional healing methods and spiritual therapy, the process of her artistic creation is deeply intuitive and ritual-like. Through embodiments of the subject matter that evoke strong sentiments and juxtapositions of symbolic elements used for healing and protection, she meditatively examines the nature of her own anxiety and the process of its healing. Her particular ways of tearing, cutting, collating and stitching imply pain, anxiety, fear, hope and patience and create a specific language that allows Mugi to articulate and manifest her inner feelings and visions. In her works, birds represent the pulse of life, pregnancy, healing and protection, whereas female bodies represent her constant search for inner strength. The concept of reincarnation is the foremost interest of her artistic journey.
A Journey Through Vulnerability presents a series of installations, including soft sculptures, collages, video pieces, created by the artist during the last 15 years. The works are spread across three different rooms titled “Miscarriage”, “Dream of Gazelle”, and “Pulse of Life” and narrate stories of women and animals, offering the viewer a journey through the intimate, fragile, yet powerful world of Mugi.
The exhibition is curated by Gantuya Badamgarav, the founding director of the Mongolian Contemporary Art Support Association. She initiated and organized Mongolia’s first-ever participation at the 56th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2015, then the Mongolian Pavilion at the Biennale Arte 2017 and Biennale Arte 2019, curating the latter one. Upon the initiative led by the Minister of Culture Nomin Chinbat, 2022 Mongolia Pavilion follows a landmark decision made by the Government to ensure the continued participation of Mongolia henceforth at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
All images by Jantsankhorol Erdenebayar
Exhibition Details
Title: A JOURNEY THROUGH VULNERABILITY - by MUNKHTSETSEG Jalkhaajav
Adress: Mongolia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Calle S. Biasio, Castello 2131, 30122 Venezia
Dates: 20 April - 27 November 2022
Opening Hours:
Admission: Free
Travel:
For press information and images: [email protected]
Title: A JOURNEY THROUGH VULNERABILITY - by MUNKHTSETSEG Jalkhaajav
Adress: Mongolia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Calle S. Biasio, Castello 2131, 30122 Venezia
Dates: 20 April - 27 November 2022
Opening Hours:
Admission: Free
Travel:
For press information and images: [email protected]