To celebrate the IDAHOT 2014, the LGBT Centre of Mongolia organized a competition amongst painters and photographers, to encourage creative expression around questions of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

Participants created 7 paintings and 1 photographic works. These works were displayed at the Bliss Art Restaurant from 17 May to 24 May. The launch of the exhibition, which took place on May 17, also screened 3 short movies distributed by Frameline – “Junk Box Warrior,” “Perceptions”, and “El Abuelo” – presented with Mongolian subtitles. The submissions identified 4 works which focused on freedom of expression on sexual orientation and gender identity in Mongolia.

The winning artworks were rewarded with 500,000MNT, 400,000MNT and 300,000MNT for the first, second and third place, respectively.

The artworks received for the exhibition will be again showcased during Pride Mongolia events in September 2014 and they will also be auctioned off at the end of 2014 in an effort of fundraising for the Centre’s activities.

Artworks created in Mongolian IDAHOT exhibition

The exhibition acted as a pioneering initiative in engaging Mongolia’s artistic communities to join the fight for LGBT rights, and is planned to now become an ongoing initiative. The Centre will consistently collect LGBT-themed artistic works and promote the artists through The Centre’s website and Facebook pages. 

A total of 25 people submitted essays on the topic “How could young people participate in making the learning environment of the sexual minorities of Mongolia more enabling?”

About 50 people gathered for the ceremony, including representatives of UN agencies and civil society.