Flux

Pedro Cera is pleased to present the first exhibition of Bekhbaatar Enkhtur at the gallery.

Despite references to Mongolian culture and history being a recurrent subject in his works, the uniting theme of Enkhtur’s practice rests on ideas of transience, transformation, and rebirth. Reflected in the material nature of a number of his sculptures, drawings and engravings, made in beeswax, clay, or even the soft surface of aluminum, Enkhtur’s practice explores the fleeting and impermanent, pointing to the temporary nature of all objects, while highlighting the idea that all phenomena, experiences, and states are subject to change or eventual disappearance. Despite the superficial meaning or function of an object’s material side being susceptible to alterations, its essence can nevertheless remain constant. It is this core identity or intrinsic qualities defining the object or being that Enkhtur’s work seeks, suggesting continuity and highlighting the enduring aspects that persist through time.

Taking the multivalent and archetypal nature of symbols, in this case, the symbol of the Wind Horse, as a starting point for the exhibition, Enkhtur explores the malleability of meaning and the enduring essence that persists beneath the surface of transformation. The term “Wind Horse” refers to a mythical creature associated with the sky and wind. It is often depicted as a horse with wings, symbolizing swiftness and power. It is also a symbol that represents the vital force and good fortune. While the Wind Horse may be invoked in shamanistic rituals to ensure the well-being of individuals and communities, it is also an integral part of Mongolian cultural heritage, with its image found in various art forms, including painting, sculpture, or decorative arts. With its body composed of multiple animal bodies, the Wind Horse rejects the idea of a singular entity and celebrates instead multiplicity and the idea of the whole as something that is in constant flux, a state of continual change and flow. Depicted as individual bodies, some sculpted in bee wax, others cut in aluminum or drawn directly on the surface of the gallery wall, the material condition of these animals and their conceptual destiny is characterized by fluctuation and instability. Lacking expression or individualistic features, they are portrayed as receivers of cultural, social, personal, or historical symbolism. They are carriers of meaning, connecting individuals and communities to their past, present, and aspirations for the future.

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The work of Bekhbaatar Enkhtur (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 1994, lives and works in Turin, Italy) has been featured in numerous exhibitions at the KORA - Contemporary Arts Center, Castrignano De’ Greci, Italy; MAMbo - Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna, Italy; Artbat Festival, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Palazzo Collicola, Spoleto, Italy among others. Enkhtur is the recipient of the Art4Future UniCredit Award and, most recently, the Illy Present Future prize. In 2024, his work will be subject to solo exhibitions at Kunsthalle KaDe, Amsterdam, and Fondazione Sandretto. Bekhbaatar Enkhtur is one of the artists shortlisted for the 2024 Future Generation Art Prize.