Khar (the Mongolian word for “Black”) is a significant large-scale oil on canvas work measuring 100 x 150 cm. Painted in 2007, just two years after Odgerel Tsulbaatar graduated from the Fine Art University in Ulaanbaatar, the piece stands as a bridge between his formal training and his emergence as a key voice in Mongolian contemporary art.
Visual Composition and Style
The painting is a masterclass in the Modern Figurative style, leaning heavily into Abstract Expressionism. Despite the title, the work is rarely monochromatic; instead, it uses deep, tonal layers of “black” to explore volume, shadow, and emotion.
The Subject: The work typically centers on the human form or equestrian figures—motifs central to Mongolian identity—reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. The “Khar” title often refers not just to the palette, but to a visceral, grounding energy or a sense of mystery.
Technique: Tsulbaatar employs bold, confident brushwork. The oil paint is applied with varying thickness, creating a tactile surface where the texture of the canvas interacts with the movement of the pigment.
Balance: The 100 x 150 cm landscape orientation provides a wide, cinematic field of view, allowing the artist to balance dense, dark focal points against more ethereal, atmospheric space.
Artistic Context
Created during a prolific period for Tsulbaatar (following his 2006 participation in the “Great Mongol 800” and “Seeking the Real Feel I” exhibitions), Khar reflects the “New Art” movement in Ulaanbaatar.
“Tsulbaatar’s work from this era represents a generation of Mongolian artists moving away from socialist realism toward a more subjective, psychological exploration of their heritage.”
