A Russian sculptor returns to Beijing with works that focus on mythology and history, Deng Zhangyu reports.

Eight years after his first solo show in Beijing, Russian sculptor Dashi Namdakov has returned to the city with art pieces that focus on mythology and history.

His show, Gods from Buryat, features 56 bronze sculptures and 12 graphic artworks. They include images from Buddhism, the nomadic people of Siberia, the heroes of the Buryat epic legends and tales from ancient China.

Born in Siberia's Transbaikal, on the border between Russia and Mongolia, Namdakov has been greatly influenced by Mongolia's nomadic culture. Some of his better-known sculptures feature Genghis Khan and the legendary emperor's warriors on horseback.

"We believe that we're descendents of Genghis Khan. We share the same blood. The major part of my work is based on Genghis Khan's epic story," says the 47-year-old, whose works are owned by big-name collectors including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Namdakov says that China and Russia have cultural and historical similarities, so Chinese visitors to his show should have no difficulty understanding his work.

The artist injects power and energy into his series of warriors on horseback. A sculpture of one of Genghis Khan's warriors, for example, shows him shooting arrows into the sky. The strong muscles, fierce expression and violent movement of his body endow the sculpture with energy and vigor.

In addition to his warrior pieces, the sculptor's world is populated by Siberian shamans, mythological creatures and totemic animals. He grew up in a culture where Buddhism and shaman mythology intertwined.

"The works I bring to Beijing are similar to those I presented here eight years ago in terms of subjects. But I tried to be more creative with my materials and forms," he says.

Namdakov is also a jewelry designer, transforming the ideas he portrays in his sculptures into smaller art pieces using precious stones. In the future, the artist says, he will also bring his jewelry to China.

The artist held his first show in Beijing at the Beijing World Art Museum in 2006. Two years later, he took his creations to Dalian, a coastal city in Liaoning province. This is the third time the Russian sculptor is exhibiting his work in China.

Namdakov's show, sponsored by the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency, is on view through Jan 4 as one of a range of art events to celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Russia. The show will tour to the Erdos Museum in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and then the Henan Museum in Henan's provincial capital, Zhengzhou, in 2015.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/18/2014 page20)