The painting is executed in acrylic on canvas and utilizes a wide horizontal orientation ($60 \times 150\text{cm}$), a format that evokes the vastness of the Mongolian steppe. True to Shagdarjav’s signature style, the work is a fusion of Modernism and Geometric Abstraction.
Subject Matter: The central focus is a herd of horses, a recurring and sacred symbol in Mongolian culture. However, rather than a realist depiction, the horses are rendered through a series of fluid yet structured lines and overlapping shapes.
Color Palette: Dominated by various shades of yellow, the color serves both a literal and symbolic purpose. It suggests the golden light of the plains, the dust of the gallop, and a spiritual warmth. These yellows are often contrasted with subtle earth tones or bold outlines to give the figures definition.
Geometric Influence: Shagdarjav deconstructs the anatomy of the horse into essential forms. You can see the influence of his background in sculpture through the heavy, rhythmic weight of the brushstrokes, which give the flat canvas a sense of three-dimensional power.
Background and Context
Born in 1954 in Tuv Aimag and educated at the State Pedagogical Institute in Ulaanbaatar, Shagdarjav belongs to a generation of Mongolian artists who transitioned from socialist realism to expressive personal freedom.
Modern Interpretation: In Yellow Horses, the artist strips away the unnecessary detail to capture the “energy” or “spirit” of the animal. The repetition of the horse figures across the long canvas creates a sense of continuous movement, almost like a cinematic reel of a herd in motion.
The Landscape: While the style is abstract, the horizontal composition inherently feels like a landscape. The horses do not just exist within the space; they define it, reflecting the nomadic philosophy where the land and the animal are inseparable.
Technical Details
Accession Number: CHD18/006
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimensions: $60 \times 150\text{cm}$
Themes: Nomadism, equine energy, and contemporary Mongolian identity.
This work stands as a sophisticated example of how Shagdarjav uses the “Modern / Contemporary” lens to re-examine the ancient roots of his heritage, turning a traditional subject into a timeless, abstract exploration of form and color.
