BAATARZORIG BATJARGAL (b.1983)
One of the emerging talents of Mongolia, artist Baatarzorig Batjargal developed his own distinctive style of painting, adopting forms and techniques of Mongol Zurag, which was developed in early twentieth century during the independence movement in Mongolia, to express the ideals of secular nationalism. His works are characterized by the paradoxical mixture of different scenes and characters, such as nomadic lifestyle, animals, religious figures, scientists, politicians, artists, pop stars and elements of western culture, depicted in different time periods and places in Mongolia or elsewhere. Baatarzorig’s paintings are particularly concerned with the loss of traditional heritage through a succession of regimes, from the Soviet-style communism to the globalized consumerist capitalism. His sarcastic and technically elaborate paintings seem uniquely Mongolian contextually, yet universal in a way as it explores the nature of the transformations that is taking place in human societies everywhere.
Graduate from Mongolian University of Arts and Culture, artist Baatarzorig has been exhibiting his extraordinary works in prestigious museums and galleries in Mongolia, Switzerland, UK, Austria, Germany, South Korea, China, Turkey, Italy, Australia, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Italy and was invited to participate in 10th Mediations Biennale, Art Istanbul Feshane, Bangkok Art Biennale, 2nd Yinchuan Biennale, China, Heimat, Guang’an Field Art Biennale, China, 8th Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland, Australia, and Bodrum Biennale, Turkey. His works are in the collection of notable museums including Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Australia, Minneapolis Institute of Art, USA, Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation, Thailand, Chicago Booth, London, and individuals, such as Uli Sigg and Jean Jacques, Switzerland.
Baatarzorig currently lives and works in Ulaanbaatar.
SEE FULL CV
Education
2005 Institute of Fine Art at University of Arts and Culture, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Membership
Member of Union of Mongolian Artists (UMA)
Member of Mongol Zurag Society
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Metamorphosis, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2021 Hunter, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2020 Moonlight, Jack Bell Gallery, London UK
2019 Wolf Totem, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2018 White Lion, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2017 Red Hero, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2014 The One, 976 Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Biennales and triennials
2023 10th Mediations Biennale, Art Istanbul Feshane, Turkey
2020 Bangkok Art Biennale 2020, Bangkok, Thailand
2018 2nd Yinchuan Biennale, Yinchuan, China
2018 Heimat, Guang’an Field Art Biennale, China
2016 8th Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland, Australia
2015 Bodrum Biennale, Sevket Sabanci Culture and Art Center, Bodrum, Turkey
Group Exhibitions
2023 Tamlaga 2023, Zanabazar Museum, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2023 Dust and Silk, Völkerkunde-Museum, Heidelberg, Germany
2023 Multiverse, Völkerkunde-Museum, Heidelberg, Germany
2022 OROe d’Arzento, the Pool NYC Gallery, Venice, Italy
2022 Traditions in Transition, Kunstverein Bernerhaus, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
2021 Towards East, Emerging Artists from Mongolia, The Pool NYC, Milan, Italia
2021 Spirit of Gobi, Baga Gazriin chuluu, Dundgobi Province, Mongolia
2020 Gods and Gridlock, Gallery of Modern Art GOMA, Australia
2020 Spirit of Gobi-Consilience, MN17 Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2020 Spirit of Gobi, Tsagaan Suwarga, Dundobi Province, Mongolia
2020 Gods and Gridlock, Gallery of Modern Art GOMA, Australia
2019 Tamlaga, Zanabazar’s Fine Art Museum, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2018 Tavan Tolgoi, Green Grassi Gallery, London, UK
2018 Urban Nomadism, Oct Boxes Art Museum, Fosan, China
2018 Urban Nomadism, Boxes Art Museum, Foshan, China
2017 Beyond Heaven and Earth, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2017 Devil in Disguise, Jack Bell Gallery, London, UK
2015 Contemporary Mongol Zurag, 976 Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2015 Modern Transformations-New Identities, Nord Art, Germany
2014 Passport, Euroasia Art Express Project, Daejeon, South Korea
2014 Be Anda-a Land with No Name, Bongsan Cultural Center, Seoul, South Korea
2014 C3, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2013 Perfect Harmony, 976 Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2013 Mongol Art, 976 Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2013 Thinking Landscapes in Mongolia, Satoshi Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Beautiful Country – Mongolia, Exhibition Hall, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2011 Modern Mongolia, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2011 Nouveaux Talents, Paris, France
2010 Portrait, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2010 Blue Marked Brothers, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2010 Mongolian Young Artists, Modern Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2009 From Mongolia, Beijing, China
2009 Best Artworks of 2009, Modern Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2008 Moment, Pearl Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2007 Today, Xanadu Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2006 Mongol Art, Xanadu Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2004 Mongolian Style, Modern Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Annual Exhibitions
2012, 2015 Spring, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2009, 2016 Autumn, Modern Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2008-12 New Art Works, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2008-11 Golden Brush, Modern Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2006-14 Mongol Zurag, Art Gallery of UMA, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2003-10 Nomadic, Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Awards & Residencies
2016 Residency Project by Asian Art Magazine and ACM, Ulaanbaatar
2017 Best Artwork 2017, Ministry of ECSS, Mongolia
2015 Best Artwork 2015, Union of Mongolian Artists
2014 Best Artist of the Year, Union of Mongolian Artists
2014 Nominated to Prudential Eye Awards Asia
2013 Nomad Studio Residency, organized by Arts Council of Korea and Mongolia
2010 Second Place, Joint Mongolian Korean Competition: Blue Marked Brothers
2008 Best Young Professional Artists Medal, Capital City Governor’s Office
2003 First Place, Ice Art Competition by Governor’s Office of Ulaanbaatar City
2000 Golden Medal, National Competition organized by Children’s Palace, Mongolia
Collections:
Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia
Minneapolis Institute of Art, USA
Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation, Thailand
Uli Sigg Collection, Switzerland
Chicago Booth, London
Press:
Residency Unlimited News: Tavan Tolgoi (Five Heads) and Mongol Futurism
Meer: Baatarzorig Batjargal exhibition at Jack Bell
Galleries Now: Baatarzorig Batjargal: Metamorphosis Jack Bell Gallery, London
Institute of Social Anthropology Austria: Special Exhibition Multiverse Nomin Bold & Baatarzorig Batjargal
University of St Thomas: Visualizing Mongolian National Identity in the Work of Baatarzorig Batjargal
Neocha: Vanishing Heritage
Hi Fructose Magazine: Baatarzorig Batjargal’s Contemporary Mongol Zurag Paintings
On Art and Aesthetics
Asia Society Switzerland: Members Get-Together: New Art from Mongolia, Traditions in Transition
Thurgau Cultur: Between tradition and modernity
E-flux: Five Heads (Tavan Tolgoi)—Art, Anthropology and Mongol Futurism
Gogo.mn: 4 leading contemporary Mongol Zurag artists’ show at 976 Art Gallery
FEATURED ARTWORKS
Re-Planning 2015, details
RE-PLANNING, 2015
Acrylic on Canvas ı 140x100cm
PETER PAN, 2020
Acrylic on Canvas ı 140x100cm