Had to venture out to the eastern suburbs of UB for an acupuncture treatment so while I was in the neighborhood I thought I would drop into the Studio of Acclaimed Artist Soyolma and see what she was working on.
Soyolma
DakiniShe had been working on this same painting the last time I was in her studio. Then, however, this dakini had been completely nude. Her vulva was quite clearly portrayed, with the mons veneris and labia majora delineated in considerable detail. Also, she was portrayed without pubic hair. This, I might add, seems to be a growing trend among Mongolian women in general, or so I have been told. Anyhow, now she was portrayed with a shawl wrapped around her waist. This struck me as a bit odd. Does artists always paint bodies in the nude and then paint clothes over them? It would seem to me—not being an artist of course—that it would be easier just to paint the clothes and not bother with the body underneath. Isn’t it a lot of extra work to paint in a finely detailed vulva and then paint a shawl over it? I was curious, but I did not feel comfortable discussing this issue with Soyolma, and anyhow I don’t think her English would be up to the task. I know my Mongolian isn’t. I don’t even know the Mongolian for vulva. I really must get cracking on my Mongolian studies.
Anyhow, Soyolma had several other works on display.
Work by Soyolma
Detail of Work by Soyolma
Work by SoyolmaFrom Soyolma’s studio we popped across the street to the underground studio of the ever-stunning and ravishingly gorgeous Mönkhtsetseg. She herself is the daughter of an artist very famous for his paintings of traditional Mongolian scenes—khans galloping around the steppe, herdsmen drinking airag, etc. Mönkhtsetseg’s work is quite different, as can be seen below:
Work by Mönkhtsetseg
Work by Mönkhtsetseg
Work by Mönkhtsetseg
A more traditional work by Mönkhtsetseg
