TodaysArt Festival 2019 | Interview

As part of the media partnership between culture360.ASEF.org and TodaysArt, we interviewed Odgerel Odonchimed, Director of the Arts Council Mongolia, who will be attending TodaysArt Festival 2019. TodaysArt is presenting a Mongolian artist within the festival program and we asked Odgerel to tell us more about the collaboration between TodaysArt and Arts Council Mongolia.

It has been 3 years since the first artistic exchange between TodaysArt and Arts Council Mongolia (ACM), how would you describe TodaysArt? How did this collaboration and partnership between both organisations begin?

Before describing TodaysArt festival, I would like to say a few words about the organisers, whom I met 3 years ago. When Olof Van Winden, Director of TodaysArt, and I met for the first time in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, I understood, what it meant to be devoted. He was concerned, alert and happy.

As our festival, the Ulaanbaatar International Media Art Festival (UBIMAF), had just been launched, Olof gave us an inspiration and hoped that we could do it, grow in the future and helped our festival to raise funds and connected us to other possible partners.

I think our organisation and our festival is very lucky to have such a decent partner who believes in Mongolian talents and invited artists such as Bagi (Bat-Erdene) to participate in TodaysArt Festival back in 2017. This working partnership has opened many doors to Bagi and to ACM.

Art, music, technology and digital art in general, is important in the Netherlands today. How is the digital art scene developing in Mongolia?

Mongolia has very talented artists and a vibrant art scene. However, connection of art and digital technology is just in its beginning stage. Last week, ACM hosted its very first sound art exhibition of very emerging artists under the name Mute. The exhibition concept and design pretty much connected with sound, its vibration and digital technology. So, in my opinion, ACM’s festival, UBIMAF, inspires young talents to create and collaborate.

Photo from TodaysArt Festival 2018

Photos from TodaysArt Festival 2018

This year, Bodikhuu, a young artist, musician and environmental activist, will be representing Mongolia to present his artwork ‘Spiral Suffocation’ at the TodaysArt Festival 2019. Could you share with us what your main considerations were when selecting an artist from Mongolia to participate in TodaysArt and how Bodikhuu was eventually chosen? How does Bodikhuu’s work fit into the theme of the festival?

Every year, since 2017, ACM announces ‘Shining Horses’ grant program with the support of Khan Bank, Mongolia, to send emerging artist to participate in international festivals. As I mentioned earlier, Bagi participated in 2017, with his artwork Particles.

Bodikhuu young artist, musician and environmental activist, will be representing Mongolia to present his artwork ‘Spiral Suffocation’ at the TodaysArt Festival 2019

In 2018, contemporary art movement ‘Human, Nature, Love Freedom’ with art work ‘Khurvas’ participated. This year, in 2019, Bodikhuu has been selected among 18 other applicants to participate in TodaysArt Festival 2019. As the genre for this year was sound art performance, many DJs applied and Bodikhuu was been chosen as the best one to perform at TodaysArt Festival by the jury consisted of members from Khan Bank, ACM and TodaysArt.

From left to right: Odgerel Odonchimed, Director of the Arts Council Mongolia, Olof Van Winden, Director of TodaysArt and Bodikhuu

Is there any part of the festival that you are most looking forward to in particular?

The most interesting site to visit would be the Exhibition Program, which transforms the city’s Electricity Factory into a playground for multi-sensory art installations. I am very much looking forward to participating in the Context program and being a part of music events.

TodaysArt is a hybrid art-music-festival experience, taking place from September 19 - 22, 2019 in the city center of The Hague. The festival presents visually immersive art and tomorrow’s headliners in music. TodaysArt is known for pushing boundaries. The 15th edition of the festival explores new forms of creativity through the lens of CONSCIOUSNESS.

For more information:

Festival website: todaysart.nl

Facebook: facebook.com/todaysart

Instagram: instagram.com/todaysart

Twitter: twitter.com/TodaysArt