“Migration” is not merely a geographical movement from one place to another—it is a continuous flow of our consciousness, of time, and of cultural heritage. On the threshold of the Year of the Horse, Artist D.Otgontugs has opened her solo exhibition, “I am moving”, narrating the eternal movement of human life through the visual language of Mongolia’s traditional uichuur board game (a two-player strategy game played with small stones, seeds, or beads placed in small pits or depressions arranged in rows). We present our interview with the artist below.

Congratulations on opening your solo exhibition. What kind of feeling did you hope to convey to viewers through this exhibition?

The idea for this exhibition began to take shape in my mind toward the end of 2013. Although I had not yet given it a title at that time, I had already defined its main conceptual direction. In 2013, while visiting my grandmother, I played the traditional Mongolian uichuur game for the first time. It was quite old, a handmade board with hand-drawn illustrations. As I observed the imagery of the game, I was deeply drawn to how clearly it reflected the society, daily life, and the relationship between humans and nature of that period. From then on, I began studying each detail of the game and gradually transforming its imagery into my own artistic style.

You seem to interpret the concept of migration not only in a practical sense but also in a more philosophical way.

Whenever I attend exhibitions, both domestic and international, I am constantly searching for new ideas. Through this process, I came to realize that from the moment a person is born, they begin migrating in a spiritual sense. We are continuously moving from today to tomorrow. In the uichuur game, animals make moves across the board, and this perfectly resonated with my thoughts. Therefore, I sought to embed this philosophy into my work. After expanding the content and refining it into a complete form, I titled the exhibition “I am moving”.

In today’s society, we ourselves are constantly in motion without even noticing it. This may be influenced by political and social factors. At the same time, we sometimes observe people rushing forward simply to avoid falling behind others. This idea forms the central line of my work. The exhibition speaks of the eternal movement of life—from the moment one is born—both spiritually and physically, as we continuously transition from one space to another, from today into the future.

In other words, by combining the structure of a traditional game with contemporary visual expression, I aimed to show that migration is not merely a geographical concept, but also a process of cultural memory and the continuous flow of life. I also wanted to convey the message that amid social and temporal change, people should preserve and carry forward their traditions. Presented on the eve of the Year of the Horse, this exhibition honors and revives the uichuur game, which symbolizes fortune and good spirit among Mongolians.

What are the distinctive features of the uichuur game, which forms the core of your exhibition? How did you incorporate its symbolism into your works?

I would not claim to know everything about this game. However, as a child, I watched my parents and grandmother play it. Uichuur is traditionally played on the first day of Lunar New Year or Tsagaan Sar and is considered one of the most respected Mongolian games. It is played by throwing dice, and each side of the dice symbolizes encouragement and good fortune. It is also highly valued for developing teamwork, quick mental calculation, and the ability to make decisions in a short time.

Moreover, although the animals in the game move along their own individual paths, they exist within a shared overall rhythm. I likened this structure to human life and reflected it in my works. In doing so, I sought to demonstrate that the act of migration or movement is not only individual but also collective in nature. Historically, nomadic Mongolians hand-painted uichuur boards. Beyond the rules of the game, these illustrations also depicted the society, livelihood, and natural environment of their time. This testifies to the game’s role as an important bearer of cultural memory and heritage. Inspired by this, I reinterpreted and revived uichuur, using its imagery to represent space, time, life’s journey, and movement in my works.

How many works are presented in the exhibition? If you were to highlight one, which would it be?

This time, I am presenting around 20 works to viewers. Among them, I would particularly highlight the video art and the works on canvas. The video art piece is especially significant because it brings together thoughts and notes I have gathered over the past six years while traveling from place to place.

How did you select the materials for your textile works?
 

Wherever I travel, I am always searching for anything that might be useful for my work and profession. The materials used in the textile pieces displayed in the exhibition were brought from the Republic of Korea. It is a fabric made from rice plants and traditionally used for making hanbok. Even in Korea, it is not a very common material. At first glance, it resembles burlap or hessian fabric, yet its texture and structure are quite different. In general, you could say that I collected the materials for the works exhibited here one by one from various places.

I do not like to simply purchase ready-made materials and use them as they are. First, I process and prepare the material myself according to the type of paint and technique I plan to use. In other words, each piece is handcrafted individually, using my own distinct methods and techniques.

It seems that orange tones dominate your works.
 

I am generally fond of intermediate tones. This can also be seen in my earlier works. I often create using brownish-gray and beige hues.

It was interesting to notice that rabbits appear in your works in various ways.
 

The rabbit figure is traditionally present in the uichuur game. For me, the rabbit is not merely cute or endearing; I see and symbolize it as a very fast animal. As for the Khiimori horse, it represents us as people. Mongolians deeply revere the horse, after all. In this sense, I use the Khiimori horse as a symbolic representation of human beings.

Furthermore, the animals in this traditional game move along their own distinct paths and patterns, yet they exist within a shared overall rhythm. I liken this structure to human life and reflect it in my work. Through this, I aim to show that the act of moving or migrating is not only an individual experience but also a collective one. Since ancient times, nomadic people have drawn the uichuur board by hand. Beyond the rules of the game, those depictions incorporated elements of the society, livelihoods, and natural environment of their time. This demonstrates that it serves as an important bearer of cultural memory and heritage. Inspired by this, I reinterpreted and transformed uychuur in my work, using its imagery to represent space, time, life’s journey, and movement.

Your work titled “World” is quite striking.
 

Through the female figure depicted in this piece, I sought to represent all of us. The idea is that from the very moment a person is born, they are constantly in motion together with their thoughts and consciousness. I attempted to portray the span of time from birth to death on this earth. In truth, human life is very short. Therefore, I symbolized this brief passage of time with an airplane, which is one of the fastest means of travel. Although it is inevitable that life’s journey is filled with many obstacles and twists and turns, the work conveys the meaning that once a person is born into this world, they have the strength to overcome them all.

Did growing up in a family of artists influence your decision to pursue this profession?
 

My father used to be a painter. I followed him from a young age and grew up surrounded by fine art and painting, so this profession became deeply rooted in my consciousness. I was naturally a child who loved to draw. After graduating from the University of Fine Arts in 2005, I have continued working in this field to this day. My spouse is also an artist. Both of us live our lives immersed in the creative world, devoted to this artistic path.

Over 20 years of creative work, which piece would you single out as requiring the greatest effort, strength, and perseverance?
 

I love every piece I have created. When I was younger, shortly after graduating, there were times when I felt dissatisfied with some of my works or found them unusual. But now, when I look back, I realize that those pieces have preserved the emotions and feelings of that particular time exactly as they were. No matter how hard I try, I could never recreate those same emotions again. That is why every work is precious to me. I have devoted my time and heart to each and every one of them.