Rioters Destroy Paintings, Musical Instruments

Tag : fine art materials
Rioters Destroy Paintings, Musical Instruments and TheatricalCostumes in Mongolia

A man carries a traditional Mongolian string instrument thatsurvived a ransacking at the Palace of Culture which riotersdescended on after setting fire on Tuesday to the nearbyheadquarters of the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party,Thursday, July 3, 2008, in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Many musicalinstruments and theatrical costumes were destroyed by the rioters.AP Photo / Robert F. Bukaty.

ULAN BATOR.- Peace was in short supply in the home of Genghis Khan afterprotesters stormed the Mongolian capital, burning buildings,overturning cars and smashing windows over alleged vote-rigging,which left at least five people dead, 329 injured and about 1,000detained.

Workers cleared debris at the site of the burned-out NationalModern Art Gallery near the headquarters of the ruling MongolianPeople's Revolutionary Party which was also set ablaze in UlanBator on July 4, 2008, after the deadly riots on July 1.

Rescuers of the emergency service took immediate measures, but thefire burnt many of exhibits and rare paintings in a moment.Fortunately, a teacher of the Institute of Fine Art N.Battor alongwith students who were going near helped the personnel of thegallery to carry the paintings to the first floor. Thanks to them,a damage was relatively less.

The Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery (MNMAG) was separatedfrom the Fine Arts Museum of Mongolia in 1989, and it launched itsindependent operation to make the public familiar with Mongolianmodern fine/visual art works.

The Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery is a government artservice providing agency with the function to give esthetic and arteducation to the population by exposing visual art, systematicallycollecting and exhibiting Mongolian modern and contemporary art;conducting studies and research, promoting and preserving them;enriching its collections; documenting the social, historic andcultural evolution and progress.

The MNMAG regularly collects Mongolian modern and contemporarypaintings, sculptures, prints, crafts and other new forms of art orartifacts, that have superior identity and originality. It focuseson modern and contemporary works from the beginning of the 20thcentury to the present. As of 2004, the permanent collectioncontains approximately 4200 pieces, and 7-8% - are currently ondisplay.
Since its establishment, the Mongolian National Modern Art Galleryhas consolidated its position as one of the leading artinstitutions in Mongolia, initiating and presenting significantnational and international exhibitions. Each year the Gallery isactively involved in organizing thematic or specialized exhibitionsof original works of national and foreign individual painters;participates in exhibitions abroad displaying there art pieces fromown collection or works of Mongolian artists; in organizingnational and independent artists’ associations’ annualand seasonal shows. In addition to that the Gallery purchases thebest art works of individuals to enrich its collection.

The Gallery has established a database on Mongolian artists,painters, which is updated regularly. Since its establishment theGallery has been enriching annually its collections using the fundsbudgeted by the government. Thus, its visitors familiarize with,understand and get closer to Mongolian art and culture. The MNMAGalso publishes periodic news and widely distributes via mass mediaand its website the information on Mongolian art. It publishesbooklets, newspapers, newsletters, magazines and other promotionalmaterials containing ideas, views and critics by artists and artcritiques, as well as research and studies, easily could be used bystudents in their study.

The Modern Mongolian art works, sculptures, kept in the Galleryrepresents a unique combination of Oriental and Western techniques,thereby attracting the attention of national and internationalexperts and viewers.