By D.CHANTSALMAA

Today, we sat down with A.Munkhtuya, Art Manager and CEO at B Contemporary Art Gallery, to explore her journey in the arts and the role of galleries in shaping Mongolia’s contemporary art scene. From her early passion for painting to organising exhibitions and promoting artists, A.Munkhtuya shares her insights into making art more accessible, nurturing public appreciation for creativity, and creating opportunities for artists to connect with wider audiences. She also reflects on the gallery’s five-year journey, the evolving relationship between artists and art lovers, and the importance of keeping art alive in everyday life.

You mentioned that you studied Mongolian painting. What influenced you most to pursue a career in the arts? Are you currently creating your own artwork?

If I had to name the person who influenced me most, it would be my mother. She worked as a typesetter at a printing house near the former German Embassy. Right behind the printing house was the Mongolian Art Center for Children’s Creativity, where she enrolled me in an extracurricular class when I was in fourth grade.

You know how little girls like making clothes for their Barbie dolls? I started in the clothing and design class and spent two years there before switching to painting. I eventually graduated from the fine arts programme. Since my mother worked at a printing house, we always had plenty of paper at home. I would draw on it, fold it and make all sorts of things. Looking back, I think having that much paper around me and being able to experiment freely played a big part in nurturing my creativity.

After graduating, I worked at Goyo Cashmere for nine years, starting as a salesperson and eventually moving into marketing. In 2018, I decided it was time to leave my job and devote myself to my own artistic pursuits, so I resigned.

Around the same time, I was offered a position as secretary of the Mongolian Painting Association. I accepted and began working there alongside my own creative activities. During that period, I took the lead in organising two exhibitions for the association. Those were my first major experiences in organising exhibitions and working with the public through art.

Was running a gallery in Mongolia and presenting outstanding works by artists to the public something you had always aspired to do? A gallery not only makes art more accessible to the public but also gives artists an excellent platform to promote their work and introduce themselves to a wider audience, doesn’t it?

The B Contemporary Art Gallery first opened on October 1, 2020, coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons, with an exhibition featuring senior artists. Back in 2018, when I was working as secretary of the Mongolian Painting Association, my office was located right next door to this gallery. I remember that when the gallery was opening, the association was also preparing to hold an exhibition. I was in my office making a large number of brooches when I decided to step over and see what was happening at the gallery.

It was absolutely packed. There were so many people that there was barely any room to get inside. I remember thinking, “Wow, what a wonderful, lively gallery is opening here!” I returned the following day to have a proper look, and I was really impressed by the space.

In fact, shortly after graduating, I had approached B.Tumurbaatar, who was then the chairman of the Union of Mongolian Artists, and expressed my interest in working at a gallery. Looking back, I understand why it might not have been possible at the time. The Union of Mongolian Artists is an organisation that serves its members and the wider community, operating largely on membership fees and income from its members’ activities. That makes it difficult to secure sufficient funding, and it must have been challenging for them to hire me and pay a salary back then.

When I returned to the gallery in 2020, its founder, Ganbat, who is also a contemporary artist, offered me a position. I was delighted to accept. The gallery’s second exhibition, Golden Autumn, became my first exhibition there, and I officially began working as an art manager.

Could you introduce the team behind the gallery? 

Our gallery is primarily run by three people: our founder, Ganbat; Gan-Erdene, a young art enthusiast and collector who has invested in the gallery; and myself, Munkhtuya. The three of us oversee its overall operations.

We also receive tremendous support from Ganbat’s sisters, Ganchimeg and Gangerel, particularly with project coordination, programme implementation and general operations. Their contributions are invaluable in helping us keep everything running smoothly.

For major public exhibitions and projects selected through competitive calls for proposals, we bring in established artists who join us on an invitation basis. So, while we have a core team of three people who work at the gallery on a regular basis, we usually bring in another two or three people each year, depending on the projects we undertake.

How does the gallery plan its exhibition schedule?

We now select exhibition projects on an annual basis. During our first three years, we scheduled exhibitions as proposals came in. Over the past three years, however, we have adopted a more structured approach by issuing an annual open call for projects.

For example, in November, we will announce an open call on social media for exhibition proposals for 2027. Artists generally submit their proposals in November and December, and by the end of December, I review and select from the 20 to 30 proposals we receive.

We hold one exhibition each month. The first week is dedicated to marketing, promotion and installation, while the exhibition itself runs for approximately 21 days during the remaining three weeks, with the gallery closed every Monday. I think this is a good arrangement because a one-week exhibition simply does not give people enough time to visit. People have busy schedules, and they may only find time to see an exhibition on their day off. Sometimes, the weather is beautiful, and they would rather spend the day outdoors. A three-week exhibition gives them greater flexibility to plan a visit.

Of our 12 annual exhibitions, three are our signature exhibitions: Contemporary Series, Golden Autumn and Contemporary Art of Mongolia. The latter showcases selected outstanding works of contemporary Mongolian art through a competitive selection process.

The remaining nine exhibitions are selected from the proposals we receive. We try to maintain a diverse programme, combining solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, sculpture exhibitions and other formats to keep the schedule varied and engaging.

We also dedicate one exhibition each year to social responsibility. In the past, we have held exhibitions featuring children with disabilities and, in collaboration with the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, children living in juvenile detention facilities. We have also organised “Tus”, a charity exhibition. For us, a gallery is not just a place to display art; it can also be a platform for raising awareness and supporting meaningful social causes.

How do you handle the financial arrangements with artists when organising exhibitions?

As an artist myself, I understand how difficult it can be for artists to finance an exhibition entirely out of their own pockets. That is why we have a contractual arrangement based on a 50-50 split: 50 percent in cash and 50 percent in barter.

The artworks we receive as part of the barter arrangement become part of the gallery’s permanent collection. This allows us to gradually build our own art fund while supporting artists in presenting their work. By the time we celebrated our fifth anniversary, we had hosted more than 80 exhibitions, including 40 solo exhibitions. For our anniversary, we displayed works from our collection that had been acquired through these exhibitions.

We are now working on a catalogue of the gallery’s collection. It will document the works we have accumulated over the years and could also serve as an introductory publication if we seek to promote the gallery internationally in the future.

B Contemporary Art Gallery recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. The art scene, its audience and the market must have changed considerably over that time. What changes have you observed?  

Things have changed tremendously. During the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately after restrictions were lifted, service establishments were required to record visitors’ names and contact details and take their temperatures. We still have the notebook in which we recorded our gallery visitors during that period. In a way, it has become part of our history.

Back then, we might receive seven or eight visitors a day, sometimes 20, and occasionally just one. Yet even during lockdown, people continued to visit galleries and view exhibitions whenever they could. Looking through that notebook reminds me that there were people who still wanted to experience art despite the restrictions.

One of the things that makes our gallery unique is its location next to the Union of Mongolian Artists’ studios. Around 120 artists have studios here, so whenever we open a new exhibition, artists from the building often come over to see it.

When I first started working here, I noticed an interesting contrast. Some artists would come straight from their studios, still wearing paint-stained clothes, while visitors arriving specifically to see the exhibition would often be dressed very elegantly. At first, I wondered what to make of the difference.

Over time, however, I noticed that our artists had begun returning to their studios to change clothes before coming to the gallery. I see that as a sign of respect for both the exhibiting artist and the visitors who have come to appreciate their work.

I genuinely enjoy seeing people dress up for an exhibition. It reminds me of how people put on elegant, formal clothes to attend the opera. Visiting a gallery can be a special occasion, too, and I love seeing people make an effort to celebrate it.

For example, when we held an exhibition by Nina, an artist who creates knitted dolls, one visitor came dressed in knitted clothing, including a knitted sweater and scarf, in keeping with the exhibition’s theme. I thought that was wonderful. It showed how art can inspire people to engage with an exhibition beyond simply looking at the works on display.

What methods do you primarily use to promote exhibitions to the public? What opportunities does the digital environment offer for promoting your gallery’s exhibitions?

I draw heavily on what I learned while working in marketing at Goyo Cashmere. We regularly share information about our exhibitions on Facebook and Instagram, using social media to reach audiences and keep them informed about upcoming events.

I also design most of the exhibition posters myself. If you look at the posters displayed at the gallery entrance, around 90 percent of them were designed by me. Together with the artists, we discuss the colours, imagery and overall direction that would best represent the exhibition and the artist’s work.