Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian embroidery art exhibition opens
PoliticsUlaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ “Among traditional arts and crafts, embroidery is considered to be highly impactful to one’s creativity, self-control and tolerance, as I figured out after many years of research”, said Z.Tsengelsaikhan, Head of ‘Egneshgui Sanaa’ NGO (literal meaning Unique Initiatives) at the opening ceremony of an exhibition named ‘Wonders of Art of Embroidery” which is being hosted by Bogd Khaan Palace Museum.
Unveiling more than 100 pieces of embroidery by Mongolia’s foremost embroiderers and rare pieces from the repertory of the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, the exhibition marked the official launch of a project to produce a Guinness-record-setting pouch or snuff bottle bag.
‘Egneshgui Sanaa’ NGO, founded in 2005 with an objective to revive traditional Mongolian embroidery art, is thus embarking on a more than six months long journey to remake Bogd Khaan’s pouch in 4-times size in order to highlight Mongolian traditional embroidery art.
The organization sets out to register the pouch in the Guinness Book of records, and the demonstrated embroidery art techniques in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.
“There are more than 30 different types of embroidery known in Mongolia; among those, ‘zuu orooh’ (literal meaning needle enwrapping) and ‘zagasan nuruu’ (literal meaning fish back) embroideries are creations of Mongolian nomads. It’s probable that Mongolian ‘Zuu orooh’ art dates back to the Stone Age”, Tsengelsaikhan told us.
“By the time our NGO was founded, traditional Mongolian embroidery art was on the brink of being forgotten. And now, I personally have taught embroidery to 3500 women, passing down the precious art to future generations”, she says. According to her, young women and girls nowadays are very interested in and keen to learn the essentials of needlework techniques.
During the opening of the exhibition, a thread-knotting ceremony was held to inaugurate the Bogd Khaan’s pouch making which will be 225 cm long and 88 cm wide.
The exhibition's opening attracted quite an audience among whom were many voluntary embroiderers who came to contribute to the remaking of Bogd Khaan’s pouch. The exhibition remains open for ten days.
