When all I wanted to do was hide
Alungoo Xatan (*1997 in Berlin) is a Mongolian-German visual artist.
My practice is difficult to describe. Whenever I get asked what I do I cannot help but shrug and say a lot of different things.
I mostly work sculptural with a multitude of materials - anything that allows me to transport my ideas.
Usually, there is a striking visual that almost harasses me and won’t let go until I have brought it into existence via a sculptural form.
Only later do I realise that there is a vehemence behind a visual. Some aversive emotion, disguised in imagery that haunts me.
Delving into crude emotions that are uncomfortable in nature animates my artistic production. Sorrow, anxiety, envy, or anger are examples of sentiments that
I am particularly interested in. The crux of my approach is that I consciously choose forms of expression that are digestible and stimulate a sense of comfort.
This is in stark contrast to the actual emotions that have instigated the works.
There is a discrepancy between the initial sentiment, which is rather uncomfortable, and the final form.
Often drawing from my experiences, I intertwine intricate, often uncomfortable themes with
a polished aesthetics that play on different nostalgias and cultural references. The familiarity of the symbols
and elements act as bridges, inviting the audience to connect with the art on a personal, intimate level.
Outwardly, it would appear that politically charged issues such as questions of origin, transnational identity, the body as notion, critique of racism, or specifically Asian diaspora are what preoccupy me.
Especially with respect to my existence being a politicised narrative in which I find myself as an
antagonist.
However, more often it is a vehemence that guides my work.
The works usually take on very smooth or sleek forms that target the senses, they play with colors and manifest themselves in different materials. Mostly, I work with common materials known from the domestic sphere, such as wax, cotton, or sugar, which evoke the aforementioned comfort.
However, the material is selected according to the concept of the work.
There is no dedicated reading, hence why I work metaphorically, allegorically, or symbolically.
The works are meant to be received primarily associatively, promoting new narratives.
Artist Statement, 2024.