FIRST STROKE

First Stroke features new works by Ulaanbaatar-based artist and calligrapher Oyunpurev Nyam-Ochir (b. 1985). Unique among practitioners who trained in Mongolia, Nyam-Ochir first studied painting at the Institute of Fine Art in Ulaanbaatar, and then learned Mongolian calligraphy according to the rigorous program of «Bichig Soyol». As a result, his art makes us aware that texts can also be images, and images can also be texts. First Stroke breaks new ground as the first large-scale display to focus on this aspect of his artistic practice.

Unlike the black and red ink brushstrokes of traditional calligraphy, the current exhibition features works that use a broad palette to evoke a wider range of emotions and gestures. However, similar to traditional calligraphy, it is not content but rather primarily a negotiation of form, rhythm, and movement that give each work its value.

Nyam-Ochir uses free strokes and movement to create paintings that hover between legibile word and free association. While the works share characteristics of twentieth-century Western abstract painting, he arrives at this point by a different route: through a dynamic exploration of historic Mongolian calligraphic technique, rather than a total rejection of clear form and narrative. Following the moves of his brushstroke, you can reimagine the creative process behind the artwork in front of you.