Улаанбаатар
Ceramic Exhibition Honoring Undur Gegeen Zanabazar to Open at Bogd Khaan Palace Museum
Art & Culture
Ulaanbaatar, November 12, 2025 /MOTSAME/. A landmark exhibition celebrating the 390th anniversary of the birth of Undur Gegeen Zanabazar – a prominent figure in Mongolia’s history, artistic and cultural renaissance during the 17th-18th centuries – is set to open on November 14 at the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum.
Thoughtfully curated under the title Undur Gegeen’s Works in Ceramics, the exhibition reinterprets the artistic legacy of Mongolia’s first Bogd Gegeen – its supreme spiritual leader, Undur Gegeen Zanabazar through the lens of contemporary ceramic art. Recognized for opening a new chapter in Mongolian and global art history, Zanabazar’s sculptures are regarded as foundational works of Buddhist art across East and Central Asia. His enduring influence is reimagined in porcelain by master ceramicist Khadkhuu Khaltar.
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Great Mongol Project, which seeks to promote Mongolia’s traditional ceramic school and its cultural values to a wider international audience.
In keeping with Mongolian tradition, the exhibition will officially open at the “hour of the horse” – between 11:40 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. – on the 25th day of the lunar cycle following the autumn new moon, a time considered auspicious in Mongolian and East Asian timekeeping. The exhibition will be on display for one week, from November 14 through 21, 2025.
For over four decades, Khadkhuu has studied Zanabazar’s spiritual and artistic legacy. From the outset of his creative journey, he has focused on interpreting the “21 Taras” – female deities in Buddhist tradition – alongside themes drawn from Mongolian daily life, customs, and historical figures.
Through his partnership with the Great Mongol Project, Khadkhuu aims to introduce Zanabazar’s artistic vision to global audiences, using porcelain as a medium to preserve and pass on Mongolia's rich cultural heritage.
Renowned for his mastery of porcelain techniques, Khadkhuu meticulously crafts each piece using multi-layered decomposition molding, diverse material casting, enamel painting, and repeated high-temperature firing. His signature seamless casting method has earned him recognition as one of Mongolia’s leading porcelain artists.
