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MARIA-KATHARINA LANG — TSETSENTSOLMON BAATARNARAN at a Cooperative” (1979), D. Damdinsiiren’s “Mother’s Glory” and D. Urtnasan’s “Mandukhai, the Wise Queen” (1982), explicitly exploit Buddhist iconographic forms for secular national topics. Urtnasan’s “Mandukhai” is also notable for its black-ground iconic technique (nagtan, Tib. nag thang) traditionally used to depict fierce protector deities (dogshid). Main representatives of Mongol Dsurag style, who contributed to the socialist modern art style while exercising traditional Buddhist techniques, are U. Yadamsiiren, A. Sengetsohio, D. Damdinsiiren, M. Piirevjaw, M. Khaidaw, L. Minjiitir, B. Awirdsed, Ts. Jamsran, and B. Gombosiiren. Along this pathway, the painting technique of religious iconographic representation had been retained in the secular art style, Mongol Dsurag. Re-nationalisation of Buddhist Art Tradition After decades of correlating art educational systems between the Soviet Union and Mongolia (and some other COMECON states) politics became more relaxed in the 1980s and the political turn of 1990 happened. Artists were free to choose which style to follow or to develop. New artist groups (such as the Green House) and galleries were founded, some artists went abroad and some took the path of Buddhist art and Buddhist artist. Along with the relaxation of the strict control and “perestroika” in the Soviet Union, Mongol Dsurag started turning to overtly religious and nationalist topics by late 1980s in Mongolia. The suppression of Buddhist tradition and the notion “loss of” in the communist era played a significant role in the social imagination of the “revival” and “innovation” of Buddhist art in Mongolia. While it was a pathway to re-gain “the loss” or (re)-identify the tradition for Buddhist artists just after the 1990s, it soon became a competition towards being more “traditional” (ulamjlalt) and “authentic” (yadsguuriin). Buddhist imagery that had been lost on the surface returned, gained prominence and entered the market. In which way was this reflected in art education? The monk-artist Gankhiiiigiin Piirewbat (burkhanch lam), born in 1965, was and still is the most prominent figure in the field of re-created Buddhist art in Mongolia and played a significant role for the revival of Buddhist art in Mongolia. He had studied at the College of Fine Arts where he first attended Mongol Dsurag copying classes in the Fine Arts Dsanabadsar Museum. Later at the Institute of Religion (Shashnii deed surguul’) at Gandan Monastery, he studied the old sacred Buddhist artistic tradition and theory with old monks in Gandan, especially with two masters: Dugarjawiin Dandsan lama (1916-2005) and Dorje Jangchen lama (1918-—?). In consequence G. Pürewbat went to Dharamsala and studied under the Dalai Lama’s official thangka painter, the Venerable Sangye Geshe and other high scholar monks at the Gyuto Tantric University. After his return, he established the Mongolian Institute of Buddhist Art in 1993 within the complex of Gandan Monastery. He established an own syllabus with a staff of teachers for different classes and recruited art students. G. Piirewbat spread an alternative approach of Mongol Dsurag strongly based on Buddhist iconography, 338
