Oir Art Hub | Javar International Winter Residency

“JAVAR” International Winter Art Residency 2026 Concludes in Khuvsgul Province

Khatgal, Khuvsgul Province, Mongolia. The volunteer-based art collective OIR Art Hub Mongolia has successfully concluded the “JAVAR” International Winter Art Residency 2026, the first winter residency of its kind in Mongolia. The program took place from February 25 to March 1, 2026, in Khuvsgul Province, bringing together Mongolian and international artists to create new works within one of the country’s most pristine winter landscapes.

The residency was developed around the Mongolian concept of javar, a term that signifies piercing cold while also evoking a deeper emotional and psychological state of inner frost. Through this conceptual framework, participating artists were invited to confront endurance, inner conflict, and their own personal “javar” while working in an extreme natural environment.

Located along the shores of Lake Khuvsgul, artists produced site-responsive works shaped by severe winter conditions, isolation, and the distinctive geography of Mongolia’s northern region. The residency encouraged artists to explore how natural materials, environmental forces, and the landscape itself could become collaborators in the artistic process.

Public Programs and Cultural Exchange

Following the residency, a series of public programs and educational activities were organized in Ulaanbaatar to extend the residency’s impact and foster dialogue around contemporary art and environmental practices.

February 25 – March 1, 2026: Artists resided and created works in Khatgal – Lake Khuvsgul.
March 3, 2026: Residency artists conducted a collaborative visual arts workshop for elementary school students at Elite International School in Ulaanbaatar.
March 3, 2026: Participants visited the exhibition Everything in Flow by Mongolian artist N. Zultsetseg at Lkham Gallery, Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum, and several artist ateliers, engaging in dialogue with the artist and local art community.
March 4, 2026: A two-hour public lecture on Land Art and environmental artistic practice was presented by Mark Antony Haden Ford, Rebecca Ford, and Peter Pal at the School of Film, Television, and Media Arts of the Mongolian National University of Arts and Culture, attended by approximately 60–70 students and art enthusiasts.
March 4, 2026: The residency officially concluded with a closing gathering, during which commemorative certificates were presented to all participants.
March 9, 2026: Documentary filming and an interview with Peter Pal
March 18: During the public Artists’ Talk event, all participating JAVAR artists presented the concepts behind their works and shared their insights, experiences, and artistic processes developed throughout the residency with the public. On the same day, we also screened our documentary for the audience.

Additionally, participating artists appeared on the Mongolian television morning program Өнөө Өглөө on Mongol TV on March 5, 2026, sharing insights and experiences from the residency.

A documentary video capturing the process and outcomes of the “JAVAR” Winter Art Residency has now been released on the official OIR Art Hub YouTube channel.

The “JAVAR” International Winter Art Residency 2026 was supported by Mongolian Handicrafts LLC. www.mongolianhandicrafts.com

Selected Artists Announced for the JAVAR First International Winter Residency in Khuvsgul’s Taiga

The Sussex-based duo, working as Two Circles Design, create site-specific installations and sculptures from found and grown natural materials, blending traditional willow craft and woodland conservation with contemporary environmental art. Inspired by the archaeology, geography, and rhythms of the natural world, their work evolves slowly, letting the materials guide form and story.

Mark and Rebecca have represented the UK at international land art events and created works for the Venice Biennale, South Downs National Park, Glastonbury Festival, Chichester Cathedral, and numerous public and private commissions. They also actively engage with schools, universities, and communities, teaching weaving and environmental art in inclusive, collaborative spaces.

Great Britain (UK)

Working with metal, wood, and clay, Munkh-Erdene creates evocative sculptures that explore the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability, embodying what he calls “the softness of hardship and the hardness of softness.

” Deeply rooted in nomadic traditions, his work reflects a profound connection to the nurturing rhythms of nature and the guiding force of the 'mothership spirit.' Through his art, he invites contemplation of life, death, and the journey of self-discovery, honoring Mother Earth as a living, intuitive presence.

Mongolia (MN)

She is a neo-nomadic Mongolian artist based in Ulaanbaatar. Her practice encompasses drawing, sculpture, collage, land art, site-specific installations, and video. Through her work, she explores self-reflection, existential themes such as life and death, and the evolving relationship between humans and the natural world. Words, language, and natural materials often play a central role in her artistic process.

She has curated numerous exhibitions and actively participates in cultural and creative projects that support, inspire, and nurture young Mongolian artists. Today, she stands out as one of Mongolia’s most inspiring and accomplished contemporary artists.

Mongolia (MN)

Peter Pal is an environmental artist whose practice spans numerous international projects. He graduated from the University of Fine Arts in Bucharest in 1989 and, in 2012, was awarded the prestigious Munkácsy Prize by the Hungarian government in recognition of his artistic achievements.

In addition to his studio work, Peter Pal has extensive experience in art education and conservation. He taught at the High School of Arts in Târgu Mureș, Romania, from 1998 to 2002 and later served as a collaborating lecturer at Sapientia University, Târgu Mureș, between 2003 and 2006. Since 2001, he has been actively involved in mural restoration, contributing to the preservation of architectural and cultural heritage.

Romania (RO)

Onongua Enkhtur is a Mongolian visual artist working in Land Art, Installation, Site-specific works, Performance, and Textile Art. She has initiated the Mongolian Trio Performance Art Group, "Neg-Uudel".

Growing up close to pastoral nomadic life in the vast Mongolian steppe has deeply influenced her artistic vision. Her work reflects the nomads’ harmonious way of living — a simple yet profound relationship with the natural world. Through her practice, she contemplates and expresses how nomads have long coexisted with their environment in a respectful and interconnected way. She prefers to use natural, biodegradable, and reusable materials that are environmentally friendly and return gently to the earth.

Mongolia (MN)

Narandulam Altantsetseg is a Mongolian folk song singer and a graduate of the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture. She understands singing as a profound artistic dialogue with nature, where the voice embodies the forms and rhythms of mountains, rivers, forests, and other natural phenomena.

Rooted in her nomadic childhood on the steppes, her practice draws on ancestral wisdom and intangible cultural heritage to create spiritual works that speak to all living beings, not only humans.

Mongolia (MN)

A filmmaker and seasoned explorer, Kristin brings over a decade of experience navigating some of the world’s most remote landscapes, from solo hikes across Alaska’s Brooks Range to a 2,000-mile kayak journey on the Yukon River.

Her work blends cinematic storytelling with authenticity, endurance, and respect for the environments and communities she films. A Fellow of the Explorers Club with a Master’s in Media Advocacy, Kristin partners with nonprofits, scientists, and organizations to craft films that connect people to landscapes, science, and one another.

Alaska (USA)

Munkhdorj Batdelger is a graphic designer and media artist whose practice engages with the historical and contemporary trajectories of Mongolian screen animation. He holds a BA in Graphic Design and Media Animation (2017) and an MA in Media Production (2020) from the School of Fine Arts, Culture and Design (SUIS), where he currently serves as Head of the Department of Graphic Design and Media Animation.

For the Javar International Winter Residency, he proposes an installation informed by nomadic storytelling and heroic figures, using wool, bones, and everyday nomadic materials as carriers of memory, narrative, and cultural continuity within a contemporary artistic framework.

Mongolia (MN)

Baatarsuren Gantulga is a professional Mongolian limbe (flute) musician and an emerging bearer of traditional arts.

Trained in Traditional Music Education at the University of Culture and Arts, his practice spans limbe, khuumii (throat singing), tsuur, and tovshuur, with khuumii passed down orally from his grandfather.

Deeply rooted in nomadic ways of life, he performs in direct dialogue with nature—on horseback, in mountains, and by rivers—exploring the relationship between breath, sound, landscape, and cultural memory.

Mongolia (MN)

Project Initiator & Curator

Ulziibat Enkhtur is a self-taught curator, performance artist, storyteller, and art writer from Mongolia, now based in Switzerland. Raised in the Altai Mountains, her work is shaped by nomadic philosophy and indigenous knowledge.

She studied Civilization Studies before training for twelve years in singular dance and performance at Coincidanse – École de Danse, developing a practice focused on conscious movement, expressive presence, and attentive listening.

Ulziibat is the initiator of the Essence Performance Art Project, an itinerant, offline practice that emphasizes process, self-reflection, and site-responsive ritual. She also initiated JAVAR International Residency with OIR Art Hub, fostering creative immersion, dialogue, and solitude.

Through her curatorial, performative, and written work, she explores inner ecology, ancestral memory, and the interplay of expression, land, and storytelling—positioning art as a quiet yet radical form of presence.

Mongolia (MN)

Curatorial & Project Director ENKHSUREN ERDENEBAT

Enkhsuren Erdenebat oversees every aspect of the Javar International Art Residency, leading the organizing team, coordinating logistics, managing schedules, and ensuring the program runs seamlessly from start to finish. Her leadership is vital to the residency’s success, combining meticulous organization with a vision that supports artists, fosters collaboration, and nurtures creativity. Beyond her organizational expertise, Enkhsuren is a writer of rare insight—her words inspire reflection and imagination with a light, uplifting touch. She is also the founder of Шувуун Мөр – Bird Path, a platform that showcases diverse art practices and explores social, cultural, and environmental issues through a creative lens. Through her roles as director, organizer, and creative thinker, Enkhsuren is a driving force behind innovative artistic programming and meaningful cross-cultural dialogue.

Mongolia (MN)