Samandbadraa Purev (Tamir)

Current status of calligraphy and its education in Mongolia

Abstract:

Talking about Mongolian calligraphy, we speak about calligraphy written in the traditional vertical script which was created specifically for the Mongolian language in the beginning of the XIII century. It used to be the most widespread and universal alphabet of the Mongol people until it was replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet in 1946 in Mongolia and abandoned during the whole socialist period of Mongolian history.

Since the 2000’s decade calligraphy in Mongolia has started to find its new form after a 54 years break. Due to the end of socialism and introduction of democratic changes in Mongolia, the interest in Mongolian traditional script and calligraphy has increased distinctly especially among the artists first and gradually among the wider audience. Nowadays there are around 100 calligraphers in Mongolia and many more amateurs in this field.

This new beginning for Mongolian calligraphy has created unique conditions for the development of this art. On one hand, the style of calligraphy of Mongolians from Inner

Mongolia in China, who had continued using Mongol Bichig in the XX century, has been copied. On the other hand, the independent esthetic and forms have evolved as well as new rules of calligraphy have been established. An entirely new genre to emerge in the history of Mongolia’s fine art.

However, because the tradition of calligraphy has been profoundly demolished in socialist period, a common education in this field has not yet taken a fixed form. It depends mostly on personal initiative of Mongolian language teachers or students themselves.

Keywords in English: Mongolian calligraphy education, rebirth of Mongolian calligraphy,

calligraphy in modern Mongolia

Keywords in French: enseignement de la calligraphie mongole, renaissance de la calligraphie mongole, calligraphie en Mongolie modern

Resume:

  • Date of Birth                  ۱۹۷۶
  • Nationality                      Mongolian
  • E-mail                             tamir_film@yahoo.com

Academic Record

  • Aviation University in Krasnoyarsk, Russia,
  • Paris Nanterre University in France,
  • Fine Arts University in Ulaanbaatar and Film School in Ulaanbaatar

Awards

  • December 2006: Best Calligrapher of the Year 2006, awarded by Mongolian Calligraphy association
  • November 2018: National prize for cultural workers, awarded by Mongolian government

Publications

  • ۲۰۰۸: “Sur la terre des Mongols” published in Paris, France;

Publisher: ALTERNATIVES edition (Gallimard)

ISBN-10: 2862275506

ISBN-13: 978-2862275505

Solo Exhibitions

  • March 2006: Exhibition “Mongolian Calligraphy” in Clermont-Ferrand, France
  • April 2008: Exhibition “Evolution” French Alliance in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • September 2010: “Jean Tallaron Association” Exhibition in Larajasse, France
  • March 2011: Exhibition, “Yishu 8” gallery, Beijing, China
  • September 2012: Exhibition at the Embassy of Mongolia in Erlian, China
  • December 2014: Exhibition “Noel” in Jif-sur-Yvette, France
  • July 2018: “Memories”, exhibition in Tsagaan Darium gallery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • November 2018: “Human”, exhibition in Altan khan gallery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • February 2019: World Calligraphy’s House – La Bastidonne in France
  • March 2019: Exhibition at Mongolian culture days, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
  • May 2019: “Terre & Ciel”, exhibition at Allier le Departement, Moulins, France
  • June 2019: “Beyond Words”, exhibition of contemporary calligraphy and blue porcelain, Altan khan gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • June 2019: “Terre et Ciel”, exhibition in the Embassy of France in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • November 2019: Calligraphy exhibition at “l’Art…DEMEURE” gallery, Saint Etienne, France
  • November 2019: Callligraphy exhibition at Philippe Durand Encadreur, Saint Etienne, France
  • November 2019: Calligraphy exhibition at Campus universitaire, Moulins, France
  • December 2019: Calligraphy exhibition at Habeo Estamp-art gallery, Vichy, France
  • February-March 2020: “Du ciel à la terre”, exhibition at Odradek Residence, Bruxelles, Belgium

Exhibitions

  • June 2005: Exhibition of Mongolian Artists in Guer, France
  • October 2006: Exhibition “Mongolia” in Pouancé, France
  • December 2006: “New Snow 2006” First calligraphy exhibition in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • April 2007: “Spring” exhibition in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • April 2007: Exhibition of Mongolian Japanese calligraphy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • June 2007: Festival “Silk Road” in Provins, France
  • November 2007: Exhibition of Mongolian & Japanese calligraphy in Tokyo, Japan
  • December 2007: Exhibition of the best calligraphy, Khaan Bank in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • June 2008: Exhibition “Colors of Mongolia” in Paris, France
  • January 2008: “New Snow 2008” calligraphy exhibition in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • July 2009: Exhibition “Story of Color” in Paris, France
  • November 2009: Exhibition “Mongolia Greetings” in Paris, France
  • December 2009: Exhibition “From Heaven to Steppe” in Paris, France
  • May 2012: Exhibition of Mongolian Artists in L’espace Scomam, Laval, France
  • May 2014: Exhibition of Mongolian Artists in Tokyo, Japan
  • May 2014: Exhibition “Spring” in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • July-August 2014: “Land Art Mongolia 360 °” ۳rd Land Art Biennale in the Valleyof Orkhon, Mongolia
  • November 2014: Exhibition “Sacrifice from Heaven” Mongolian and Chinese artists in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
  • June 2015: International Art Exhibition, “Nord Art” in Budelsdorf, Germany
  • April 2018: “Silk road – Road of porcelain” Chinese-Mongolian-Russian exhibition, Jingdezhen, China
  • Septembre 2018 : Porcelain exhibition – Ulan-Ude in Russia
  • Novembre 2018: Best ArtWorks 2018 – Museum of Modern Art in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  •  June 2019: International Art Exhibition, “Nord Art” in Budelsdorf, Germany
  • August 2020: “Art Nocturne Knocke” International Art salon, Knokke-Heist, Belgium
  • October 2020: The Annual Dutch Art Fair (ADAF) 2020, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Artist residence

  • April 2011: “Espal” cultural center in Le Mans, France
  • April 2018: Porcelain and ceramic art of Jingdezhen, China
  • February-March 2020: Odradek Residence in Brussels, Belgium

Scenography and Performance

  • February 2006: Calligraphy performance for Mongolian music show, Paris, France
  • October 2006: Calligraphy animations during a fashion show, “Torgo” fashion house, Paris, France
  • September 2010: Stage Tour Hos Ayas – Performance, Demonstration – Workshops: Causse de la Selle, Celles, Le Chambon-Feugerolles, Gannat, St Pierre de Maillé, Rubrouck in Montpellier, France
  • April 2012: “Open Forum” poetry evening, calligraphy performance with poems and contemporary music in Oslo, Norway
  • October 2019: Calligraphy performance at Oriental Parc, Maulévrier, France
  • March 2020: Live calligraphy art at Odradek Residance, Brussels, Belgium

Workshops

  • Since 2007: Calligraphy teacher for students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • April 2010: Workshops Cycles AOF, public rehabilitation in Saint Donat, France
  • May 2010: Workshop and calligraphy animation for all age groups in Malakoff, France
  • September 2010: Workshop for young audience of Grange in Causse de la Selle, France
  • October 2010: Calligraphy workshop week Mongolia in Rubrouck, France
  • April 2011: 20-hour workshop with school children in Le Mans, France
  • February 2012: Calligraphy workshop for school children, Albert Kahn Museum in Paris, France
  • February 2019: Calligraphy workshop in a House of Calligraphy, La Bastidonne, France
  • February 2019: Calligraphy workshop at Museum Petiet in Limoux, France
  • March 2019: Discovering Mongolian culture through calligraphy, workshops for children, college Emilie Guillaumin, Moulins, France
  • March 2019: Calligraphy workshops at Museum Anne de Beaujeu, Moulins, France
  • May 2019: Art of calligraphy: discussion and workshop, Raffles Institute, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
  • October 2019: Calligraphy workshops at Oriental Parc, Maulévrier, France
  • November 2019: Calligraphy workshops at Campus universitaire, Moulins, France
  • December 2019: Calligraphy workshop at Orienal Studies Department, University of Warsaw, Poland
  • March 2020: Ink technique workshop, Saint-Luc Liège – École supérieure des arts, Brussels, Belgium

Lectures/demonstrations

  • November 2007: Nomadic written culture, Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture, Clermont-Ferrard, France
  • May 2012: Symbolism in Mongolian art, L’espace Scomam, Laval, France
  • December 2019: Mongolian scripture: history and modernity, Museum of Asia and Pacific, Warsaw, Poland
  • March 2020: Mongolian nomadic culture, Faculté d’Architecture La Cambre Horta, ULB, Brussels, Belgium
  • March 2020: Mongolian script and calligraphy art, Saint-Luc Liège – École supérieure des arts, Brussels, Belgium

Realized projects

  • August 2011: Mongolian – French symposium of ceramic art, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • July 2012: Month of Mongolian art in Laval, France
  • July 2014: Golden Felt Exhibition of Françoise TELLIER-LOUMAGNE and Rémi CHAPEAUBLANC, Arti Cour Art Gallery, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • July 2015: Exhibition of Mongolian art for 50th Anniversary of French and Mongolian diplomatic relations in Versailles, France
  • October 2015: Exhibition of Union of Mongolian Artists, Ulan Ude, Russia
  • From 2018: Foundation of the NGO “L’Ecrin” or “Erdenesiin Khuree” and its main project of establishing the Center of Arts and Mongolian Calligraphy in Kharkhorin, Mongolia
  • November 2019: Big format calligraphy on the city wall, “Le MUR”, Saint Etienne, France
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