“Leave No One Behind: Re-Imagining of Photomontage and Pursuit of Truths”
Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid
INTRODUCTION
The creative and experimental visual content project aimed to explore the UN’s “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) promise and its five factors through the art of Photomontage. A total of 8 highly skilled and experienced local photographers and artists of different ages, backgrounds and abilities came together to create a unique infusion of creative hub for 60 days. The project sought to re-imagine the LNOB concept and associated five factors by introducing a new art-making method to local creatives. It encouraged using their existing digital, film-based and paper-based photos to visualise the intersectionality and complexity of the idea and reflect the broader context of 17 SDGs. To ensure a high-quality outcome, we invited a diverse range of photographers and artists aged 21–52 years, proven to be able to tackle abstract ideas and generate excellent artwork.
The art form of Photomontage came into existence in 1915, invented by Dadaist and Surrealist artists and developed as an effective technique by artists such as Aleksander Rodchenko (1891–1956, Russia), Dora Maar (1907–1997, France), John Heartfield (1891–1956, Germany) and Martha Rosler (1943, USA) and is essentially a collage constructed from photographs, old and/or new. Historically, Photomontage explored social issues ranging from economic inequality, police brutality and anti-war campaigns. As a result of this project, the creative team planned to create at least 20 photomontages, but our outcome came to 43 artworks. In addition, we produced eight short videos profiling artists and one longer video introducing the project accompanied by texts.
ANALYSIS
This project dealt with two tricky cards at once — on the one hand, it strived to communicate the “Leave No One Behind” promise, its corresponding five factors and intertwining 17 SDGs; on the other hand, it wanted to differ from polished imageries of the human condition and create edgy visual content grounded in harsh reality experienced by the participant artists. As the Project Leader and one of the Mentor Artists, my responsibility was to guide, not instruct and encourage not to limit their Artistic Freedom.
Mongolia is a country of contrasting realities, where nearly a third of the population still lives under the national poverty line. The country has many challenges ahead, and the project is determined to uncover and explore topics relevant to LNOB and SDGs. First, through weekly workshops, participant artists were introduced to LNOB, SDGs, Photomontage as an art form and notable artworks. After that, Mentor Artists led weekly sessions brainstorming and developing potential ideas with participant artists. It was essential to identify what aspects of LNOB and SDGs are relevant, personal or important to each artist. After spending hours talking, conversing and debating, it was apparent that each person was affected by an average of 2 SDGs and 2 LNOB factors, and we were all surprised at how common our issues were. The youngest artist is 21, and the most experienced is 52 years old; there is a 30-year gap between them, but they were still able to find commonalities in each other’s daily lives and how they are impacted. Throughout this process, artists were asked to consult with LNOB and SDGs-related literature, online and in print, before and during conceptualising their artworks.
Once we moved onto the stage of creating initial draft compositions based on their concepts, the idea of “facing the truth” as a vehicle for expression sprung out of us. It was a natural progression rather than influenced by the Mentor Artists. Artists strongly felt that excessively positive, glossy, friendly and repetitive visual content campaigns were no longer effective even as the creators themselves didn’t respond to those content favourably.
We strongly agreed that having hope, trust and wishing for the better are great ways to approach issues. But at the same time, an influx of positive campaigns could mask the reality of the situation and thus further risk the target demographics. After consultation with UN materials and related studies on the issues that affect Mongolians the most, it was clear that it is risky to create content deemedoverly safe.
Our initial strategy of inviting artists from different genders, backgrounds, ages, life stages and creative levels paid off. In a typical setting, this group would not have come together and worked on one project. This aspect makes this project unique and lays an interesting foundation to work on. For the general project structure, we adopted Project-based Learning (PBL) methods for our teaching, organisation, and creation processes. Of the 20 artworks plannedin the project, the artists produced 43 photomontages dealing with LNOB and five core factors and corresponded with 17 SDGs directly and indirectly. They are thought-provoking and visually engaging, ask questions rather than offer simple answers, are exploratory and personal, break stereotypes, dig deeper, and are game changers of the idea of what is supposed to be effective visual content aimed at the public.
Our project outcome was introduced to the public via UN Mongolia’s Facebook page from 23 April to 11 May 2022 and had an estimated total reach of 118,000 people, and more than 11,000 people liked and shared our videos, photomontage artworks, and posts.
Finally, on behalf of our creative team, I would like to thank UN Mongolia for funding this creative project and supporting Mongolia and Mongolians since 1961!
Project Leader & Mentor Artist
Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid
ARTISTS & PHOTOMONTAGE ARTWORKS
- Amaraa Dashzeveg (b.1974), Artist, Photographer and Researcher of Kurgan Stelaes
With more than 25 years of experience as a visual artist, Amaraa learned to take photographs later in his career in order to collaborate with local archaeologists and document Kurgan stelae in Mongolia. During his frequent annual trips to the countryside, he witnessed first-hand what was happening beyond the capital city. During the conception and development process, he explored the impacts of SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 15: Life on Land in his artworks. His photomontage “Desertification of the Brain’’ (2021) illustrates his concept of focusing on the individual’s contribution to climate change. In Amaraa’s words, “Unless we change our mentality, this process will continue as it is, and Mongolian ancient customs and cultures will disappear.”
SDGs: SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 15: Life on Land.
2. Anudari Tsolmon (b.1996) Contemporary Artist, Fashion Designer & Advocate of Mental Health and Sustainable Living
Anudari is an emerging artist who is making a transition from Fashion Design to Contemporary Art; Anudari makes a case about young people’s mental health, issues of violence and safe places for both genders in her series of works.
What was considered not a serious act 20 years ago could now be considered harmful both to the recipient’s psychological and physical being. “Time has changed, so should we” is the main message in her photomontages through detailing the contemporary forms of visible and invisible discriminatory actions and approaches towards young people aged 16–26 insociety. In addition, social media platforms further complicate this situation by demanding unreal expectations from their young audience. All these pressures accumulate over time and affect young people’s mental health, which can lead to serious consequences.
SDGs: SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being
3. Bayarsaikhan Orsoo (b.1969), Artist, Photographer & Eco-travel Advocate
In his youth, Bayarsaikhan spent his formative years in Germany while studying to be a geophysical engineer. After running his business for two decades, he fell severely ill but managed to recover and took up photography, and his journey of travelling the countryside of Mongolia began.
A few years ago, he established an eco-friendly small business in his native Bayankhongor province, which supports locals through creating milk-based products. Through this experience, he recognised a great disconnect between urban dwellers and herds people. In his series of photomontages, he uses his archival photographs and montages them together to express the desperation experienced by locals. According to Bayarsaikhan, “The desertification process is multi-layered and has many negative effects, including forced migration and the threat of eradicating centuries-old traditional lifestyles and associated tangible and intangible cultural heritage.”
SDGs: SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 15: Life on Land.
4. Davaanyam Delgerjargal (b.1988) Project Coordinator, Mentor Artist, Photographer, Zero Waste Activist, “Noise Art Media” Director
Davaanyam Delgerjargal (b.1988) specializes in documentary photography and produced notable projects, dealing with themes of children’s safety, poverty, air pollution and education. In addition, he runs Batzorig Foundation of Documentary Photography and Noise Art Media and contributes to the development of the photography sector in Mongolia.
Similar to most participants, it was his first venture into creating photomontages by using his existing photographs to tackle a specific topic. His “Glass City” photomontage is his genuine perception of the actual situation for families and children who are currently left behind. By highlighting air and land pollution, access to clean water, availability of safe spaces for children to play, and restrictions of medical and educational services for children with disabilities in one composition, he wants us to understand all these issues are closely connected and interdependent.
SDGs: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 13: Climate action; SDG 15: Life on Land.
5. Ireedui Bulgantamir (b.2000) Artist, Photographer, Videographer, "Noise Art Media" Team Member
Ireedui is a photographer in the documentary photography genre and works full-time at Noise Art Media. During the project’s concept development workshops, he chose a topic about rural men aged 30–45 and the discrimination they face. In Ireedui’s view, these men send their children to urban locations to access education; sometimes, the mothers will go with their children, often leaving the fathers alone, which means men must assume the sole responsibility for herding while harming their health and being left behind in social development.
Thousands of these rural men also decide to migrate to the capital city with their families every year, dreaming of a better life. However, their personal experience of discrimination in urban areas is rarely talked about, and they face these challenges without much support as they expect to cope because their gender is male. In one of his “Abstract City’’ photomontages, 11 rural men in their traditional deel sit down staring at a colourful screen of a picturesque landscape where horses roam free. Contrasting this scene is a black and white photograph of a polluted capital city, which illustrates a large difference between what they expect and how they are treated in real life.
SDGs: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
6. Munkh-Od Ganzorig (b.1993), Artist, Photographer, Photographer at the Mongolian National Photography Hall
Munkh-Od is an artist and photographer who is currently completing his MFA in Photography at the Academy of Fine Arts.
One of his passionate topics deals with backdoor culture and bribery, where people pay or influence others to get ahead. In his opinion, this entrenched situation is one of Mongolia’s biggest challenges. He chose black, white and red as the main colours for his artworks. In the “Red-Back Door” photomontage, you see two doors and a man walking in between. On the top half, there is an advert board for employment opportunities. If you look closely, the door on the left has a closed sign but with a welcome door mat, and the door on the right is open but with a cross sign on top. The walking man is holding his head low, going door to door and trying to find employment as it can be difficult to find employment after 40 years old. Most job ads are for younger people, demanding certain physical qualities or numerous postgraduate qualifications. This situation promotes the so-called backdoor culture and encourages people to engage in bribery.
SDGs: SDG 1: No poverty; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
7. Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid (b.1980) Project Leader, Mentor Artist, Curator, Director of "Vanjil Art Institute"
Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid is an artist, art curator and mentor who is educated in Mongolia and the UK andspecialised in contemporary art research, theories and practices of art photography. Currently, she is leading the Vanjil Art Institute (Est.2013) and mentoring local artists and creatives.
As a parent of a child with disabilities, Tsendpurev began to merge her personal experience with her art project titled “Future Anxiety” (2016-), and for this project, she used her existing photographs to create two series. In her series “Does Society Needs This Kind of Child’’ (2021), she expresses her struggles to get her child the required support and overall acceptance bysociety. In this photomontage, her child is standing on a chess board, facing a black wall and looking at schoolchildren who are seeing a city from above. Her personal experience is similar to a game of chess, which she playsevery time she interacts with representatives of medical and educational authorities as she tries to find the best support and advocacy for her child.
From the outside, she is seen as the only caretaker. Still, she is able to overcome these adversities due to the support from her close family, extended family members and friends. Therefore, it can be understood that behind every child, there is a family, extended family members and friends, and there are more than 16,000 children with various disabilities in Mongolia. They are constantly struggling to get therapies, can’t attend kindergartens and study at schools as declared in the Constitution of Mongolia and various international human rights conventions.
SDGs: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
8. Tumenkhuslen Baldandash (b.2000), Artist, Photographer & Cinematographer
An emerging artist and photographer, Tumenkhuslen is an inquisitive young person finishing her cinematographer’s programme at the Mongolian State University of Art and Cultures. In the project, she called attention to gender equality issues in Mongolia and discrimination experienced by all genders, including LGTB people, not just women. In her view, discrimination and its associated versions can take many forms, from one comment to a physical act. According to her, stereotyping people based on gender, age and occupation is widespread, and artists must do more to influence society.
The project was also her first experience with photomontage as an art form, and using layers of photographs to create composition was especially suited for her two series. In this photomontage, you see two people multiplied as four and have a total of eight face-figured masks. As in, what we see in a person might not be an accurate portrayal, and by just adjusting our viewing angles, we could allow others to live a better life. The artist herself overcame depression and knows too well that societal expectations from a young person can create a toxic situation for everyone involved.
SDGs: SDG 5: Gender Equality; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
PROJECT INFORMATION
Project Period: Sep — Dec 2021 Location: Ulaanbaatar, MONGOLIA
Primary Funder: UN Mongolia
Contractor: Vanjil Art Institute
Partner: Noise Art Media
UN Mongolia Representative: Soyolmaa Dolgor (Communications and Advocacy Officer)
Project Leader, Mentor Artist: Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid (Director, Vanjil Art Institute)
Project Coordinator, Mentor Artist: Davaanyam Delgerjargal (Director, Noise Art Media)
Participant Artists: Amaraa Dashzeveg, Anudari Tsolmon, Bayarsaikhan Orsoo, Davaanyam Delgerjargal, Ireedui Bulgantamir, Tsendpurev Tsegmid, Tumenkhuslen Baldandash, Munkh-Od Ganzorig
Photos by Davaanyam Delgerjargal, Ireedui Bulgantamir (Noise Art Media)
VIDEO & DOCUMENTATION TEAM
Interview format, questions developed by Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid
Video concept, videography and editing: Davaanyam Delgerjargal, Ireedui Bulgantamir (Noise Art Media)
Video subtitles translated by Robert Sumkhuu, edited by Dr Tsendpurev Tsegmid
DISCLAIMER:
The information contained in the multimedia content (“videos, photomontage artworks, texts, photos”) posted represents the views and opinions of the above-mentioned project team members and the participant artists and does not necessarily represent the views and opinions of UN Mongolia.
© 2021 UN Mongolia and respective artists
