Amgalan Tsvegmid – Mongolia / Maryland, USA

amgalanARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Sculptures by Amgalan Tsevegmid are standing in the squares in a number of Mongolian cities, including Ulan-Bator (the capital of Mongolia), in Beijing ( (China), Sydney (Australia. They are displayed in the National Gallery in Ulan-Bator, in museums in Hungary, Germany and have been shown in numerous of exhibitions worldwide. Many of his sculptures are in private collections in countries around the World.
EDUCATION
1977 The Academy of Fine Art I.E.REPIN’s  St. Petersburg, Russia  Institute of Architecture  and Sculpture and Paintings   Major: Sculptor, Artist
1971  State College of Music and Dance  Ulan-Bator, Mongolia   Major: Painting
LANGUAGES Mongolian: Native      Russian: Fluent      English:  Conversational
WORK EXPERIENCE 1981- Present
Freelance Artist  Ulan-Bator, Mongolia
Adjunct Professor for Fine Art State College and Several Private Art Colleges 1977-1981
Professor, Fine Art College  Ulan-Bator, Mongolia
ELECTED POSITIONS 1995- Present         Chair of Sculptors Division of the Union of Ulan-Bator, Mongolia                    Mongolian Artists 1998-2001                Member of Presidium of the Union of Ulan-Bator, Mongolia                    Mongolian Artists 1986-1988                Member of Presidium of the Union of Ulan-Bator, Mongolia                    Mongolian Artists
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES 1978 – Present
                   Union of Mongolian Artists (Mongolia) 2001 – Present
                   International Sculpture Center (USA)
STATE AND GOVERNMENT AWARDS
                   2002   The Best Mongolian Artist   Union of Mongolian Artists
                   1991    Honorary Prize of the Union of Mongolian  Union of Mongolian Artists
                   1986    Golden medal named  after outstanding   USSR Council of Ministers  sculpture
                               E.V.Vuchetich
                   1985    State Prize of Mongolian Awarded by Mongolian People’s Republic
                               Government distinguished works in Art, Science, etc.

ARTIST STATEMENT:
People often wonder how ancient myths, legends of different nations living on different continents with diverse cultures and languages have common roots and interpretations. It makes us conclude that there was contact between these cultures and nations both commercial and spiritual. Many legends have a tale of a flying horse, a divine horse with wings that usually brings victory and inspiration to poets in Greek mythology. Mongolian mythology has a tale of a victorious young warrior who brings peace to his lands by defeating his enemies riding his winged horse. He used to come to the people on his winged horse and sing his songs. He had a beautiful voice and used to be invited to all festivities. But his bride, because of jealousy, while he was asleep cut the wings of his horse. Horse died and the inspiration left him. He grieved for a long time and at the end made of its skin, tail and mane a stringed instrument. He found his inspiration back playing on this instrument. This is a legend about the creation of Mongolian national musical instrument
“Morin Khuur” – Horse head fiddle. An instrument with two strings made of horses’ tails. It produces a sound which is poetically described as expansive and unrestrained, like a wild horse neighing, or like a breeze in the grasslands.

PHOTO BY ALAN LEACH