interview between Ann Dingli and OtGO
Otgonbayar
Ershuu, known as OtGO, was born on January 18, 1981, in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia. He began painting at a young age and held solo exhibitions by
the age of fifteen. From 1996 to 1998, he studied traditional Mongolian
miniature painting. Between 1998 and 2004, he worked as a
painter-restorer, producing approximately 400 paintings and 600
research miniatures. In 2005, he moved to Berlin and completed a Master
of Arts in Art in Context at the Berlin University of the Arts in 2010.
He founded Gallery ZURAG Berlin and served as Chief Curator at the
National Art Gallery of Mongolia from 2018 to 2025. Here he speaks to
Ann Dingli about his exhibition for Valletta Contemporary (VC).
Ann Dingli (AD): My first question is simple: how long did it take you to complete the work for VC? Was the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ composed specifically for this site, or was it re-imagined for the gallery using existing work?
OtGO: I worked on the paintings for VC for over 11 years. After eleven years, I’d finally finished Cathedral of the Three Graces and it was included in the exhibition. I had already become interested in the subject of ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ during my studies in Berlin (2007–2010). At that time, I took part in a seminar on ‘Museum Fundamentals’. The ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, or rather the ‘Treasury’, was the world's first museum. I composed the exhibition specifically for this location. The country of Malta, the city of Valletta, and the 400-year-old space of VC are very well suited to its content. ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ is a traveling exhibition shown in various locations, but each exhibition is different. In September, it will be shown at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Moldova.
AD: Can you talk more about the relationship, or fusion, of meditative spirituality and creating art – can you describe how the two reinforce each other, or are even suffused as one thing?
OtGO: Every artist wants to create something new. How does something new come into being? You can't think about something new as long as you can think about it. It isn't new because you know it; otherwise, you can't think about it. That is, to create something new, you must stop thinking! Thinking is about the past and the future, because you are constantly reflecting with your thoughts. Experiences form the basis of thinking. You often think with words, but there is so much that cannot be expressed with words. Meditation is not based on realistic thinking; it helps you be in the present. There is a difference between spirituality and ritual. People rely on various habits, such as morning coffee. I call these habits rituals. My way of painting is also a ritual; it is the mind that paints, not the hands—like meditation, which gives me new strength and energy. The idea that the mind paints means that you develop deep inner concentration and devotion during the painting process. Through meditation, a connection is created between the world and the beyond, and the colors and forms flow from this inner state onto the canvas.
AD: How does this work speak to local audiences in Malta? Do you consider your viewers when making work?
OtGO: I tried to create a connection between my works and the exhibition venues. I don't want to reveal how the local audience perceives my works. That's not a relevant question for me. I've just noticed that visitors don't leave so quickly. I'm also glad that the exhibition text was translated into Maltese. I know that all Maltese people speak good English. But the native language is important for achieving emotional depth.
AD: Can you talk about the different rhythms and intensities your practice becomes prey to when it moves from place to place. You relocated to Berlin many years ago – did if affect your work, did it change your approach or interrupt your focus or cadence?
OtGO: Globalization is a business model. Rapid technological development means that people are acquiring information ever faster. People imitate others like monkeys. Fifteen years ago, it was very difficult to find good coffee in Mongolia; today, everyone there drinks good coffee. People may look different, but their habits and consumption patterns are becoming increasingly similar, causing them to lose their unique culture and identity. I am a modern nomad and enjoy traveling. The time intensities in Germany and Mongolia are the same, but they are perceived differently. I brought my Mongolian time rhythm with me to Berlin; I feel like I can pause or slow down time again and again to experience 60 precious moments every minute.
AD: Nature is central to the content of the Cabinet. Can you talk more about how nature becomes a storyteller for universal experiences in humanity?
OtGO: The stories of nature are infinite. The understanding of nature is something universal and primal; it requires no specific language. True art is found in nature. It is wonderful how nature creates harmony. Humans and animals are not two, but one. Only when we stop trying to control nature can we save humanity. Perhaps nature views humans as an unbearable nuisance and plague.
CABINET of CURIOSITIES
16th May 2025 – 14th August 2025
A solo exhibition by OtGO
Curated by Thomas Eller
VALLETTA CONTEMPORARY
General enquiries: 00356 21241667
OPENING HOURS
Wednesday to Saturday 14:00 - 19:00
Sunday to Tuesday Closed
www.vallettacontemporary.com
NEWS: TIMES of MALTA
https://x2.timesofmalta.com/20250513/sunday-circle/a-colourful-cabinet-of-curiosities-opens-in-valletta/
Ann Dingli (AD): My first question is simple: how long did it take you to complete the work for VC? Was the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ composed specifically for this site, or was it re-imagined for the gallery using existing work?
OtGO: I worked on the paintings for VC for over 11 years. After eleven years, I’d finally finished Cathedral of the Three Graces and it was included in the exhibition. I had already become interested in the subject of ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ during my studies in Berlin (2007–2010). At that time, I took part in a seminar on ‘Museum Fundamentals’. The ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, or rather the ‘Treasury’, was the world's first museum. I composed the exhibition specifically for this location. The country of Malta, the city of Valletta, and the 400-year-old space of VC are very well suited to its content. ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ is a traveling exhibition shown in various locations, but each exhibition is different. In September, it will be shown at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Moldova.
AD: Can you talk more about the relationship, or fusion, of meditative spirituality and creating art – can you describe how the two reinforce each other, or are even suffused as one thing?
OtGO: Every artist wants to create something new. How does something new come into being? You can't think about something new as long as you can think about it. It isn't new because you know it; otherwise, you can't think about it. That is, to create something new, you must stop thinking! Thinking is about the past and the future, because you are constantly reflecting with your thoughts. Experiences form the basis of thinking. You often think with words, but there is so much that cannot be expressed with words. Meditation is not based on realistic thinking; it helps you be in the present. There is a difference between spirituality and ritual. People rely on various habits, such as morning coffee. I call these habits rituals. My way of painting is also a ritual; it is the mind that paints, not the hands—like meditation, which gives me new strength and energy. The idea that the mind paints means that you develop deep inner concentration and devotion during the painting process. Through meditation, a connection is created between the world and the beyond, and the colors and forms flow from this inner state onto the canvas.
AD: How does this work speak to local audiences in Malta? Do you consider your viewers when making work?
OtGO: I tried to create a connection between my works and the exhibition venues. I don't want to reveal how the local audience perceives my works. That's not a relevant question for me. I've just noticed that visitors don't leave so quickly. I'm also glad that the exhibition text was translated into Maltese. I know that all Maltese people speak good English. But the native language is important for achieving emotional depth.
AD: Can you talk about the different rhythms and intensities your practice becomes prey to when it moves from place to place. You relocated to Berlin many years ago – did if affect your work, did it change your approach or interrupt your focus or cadence?
OtGO: Globalization is a business model. Rapid technological development means that people are acquiring information ever faster. People imitate others like monkeys. Fifteen years ago, it was very difficult to find good coffee in Mongolia; today, everyone there drinks good coffee. People may look different, but their habits and consumption patterns are becoming increasingly similar, causing them to lose their unique culture and identity. I am a modern nomad and enjoy traveling. The time intensities in Germany and Mongolia are the same, but they are perceived differently. I brought my Mongolian time rhythm with me to Berlin; I feel like I can pause or slow down time again and again to experience 60 precious moments every minute.
AD: Nature is central to the content of the Cabinet. Can you talk more about how nature becomes a storyteller for universal experiences in humanity?
OtGO: The stories of nature are infinite. The understanding of nature is something universal and primal; it requires no specific language. True art is found in nature. It is wonderful how nature creates harmony. Humans and animals are not two, but one. Only when we stop trying to control nature can we save humanity. Perhaps nature views humans as an unbearable nuisance and plague.
CABINET of CURIOSITIES
16th May 2025 – 14th August 2025
A solo exhibition by OtGO
Curated by Thomas Eller
VALLETTA CONTEMPORARY
15, 16, 17, Triq Lvant (East Street), Valletta, VLT1253, Malta
info@vallettacontemporary.comGeneral enquiries: 00356 21241667
OPENING HOURS
Wednesday to Saturday 14:00 - 19:00
Sunday to Tuesday Closed
www.vallettacontemporary.com
NEWS: TIMES of MALTA
https://x2.timesofmalta.com/20250513/sunday-circle/a-colourful-cabinet-of-curiosities-opens-in-valletta/
