our projects

1 Feb

Out of NowHere Gallery

In 2013, the Out of NowHere hotel brand introduced its new special project of Out of NowHere Gallery. Initiated and supervised by Marion Roman-Hauduroy, its main goal is to contribute economically and culturally to the development of the central Mongolian region of Övörkhangai where three lodges of the Out of NowHere network – the Sweet Gobi Geolodge, the Ursa Major Geolodge, and the Anja Eco Ger Camp – are located.

Based in Ulaanbaatar and Prague, the Out of NowHere Gallery organises art exhibitions and sales for private and public entities, stays of Mongolian and foreign artists in the hotels and lodges of the OONH network during their creative journeys as well as production of art editions for the OONH shop. Being more a label than a physical space, the Out of NowHere Gallery is truly a nomadic art project.

Through its actions, the OONH Gallery wishes to participate in the cultural upgrading of the Övörkhangai region which constitutes a significant challenge for Mongolian tourism. At the same time, the Gallery aims at proposing an alternative way for an economic recovery of the region hit by the rural exodus as well as at strenghtening of the Mongolian cultural identity.

Among other projects, the OONH Gallery will finance the publication of a four-language tourist booklet for the Shankh Monastery (Shankhiin hiid), one of the most important monasteries in the country. Spurred by Zanabazar, it was founded in 1646 and housed more than 2000 monks during its golden age. The monastery was closed down in 1937 and subsequently destroyed during the Stalinist purges. However, before its destruction, the Soviests took a series of photographies that are now stored in the National Archives in Ulaanbaatar waiting to be brought into daylight by Mongolian historians. In the long run, OONH Gallery would like to participate in financing and evolving the research of the key monasteries of the Övörkhangai region, such as the Tövkhön hiid, Khambiin khiid and Övgön khiid which are less documented than the famous Erdene Zuu in Karakorum.

The OONH Gallery would also like to encourage and support the Museum of Burd, one of the region’s 19 sum (villages), by promoting its collection presenting the traditional pastoral activities as well as buddhist and soviet influences on the Mongolian culture.

Read more about our GOLDEN FELT Exhibition, housed by the Union of the Mongolian Artists, and take a look at some of the art works exhibited by the OONH Gallery: