As part of the Month for Cultural Creativity campaign, the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum  jointly with the Gandantegchinlen Monastery is organizing a special exhibition "The 35 Confessional Buddhas". 

Mongolian silk appliqué was at the peak of its development from the 19th century to the early 20th century. A magnificent 44-meter silk applique from the early 20th century is at the center of the exhibition. The applique was created by the artists of Sangai aimag in Ikh Khuree with their own financing in the early 20th century.

Opening the Exhibition, Director of the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum P. Baigalmaa emphasized that " The 35 Confessional Buddhas" is being shown to the public after 85 years since it was on display in 1938.

 “The craftsmanship of Mongolians is unique on its own. Silk applique used to be created monumental or on large scale. From a fine art perspective, in this applique, the colors are skillfully integrated, and the ratio of sizes of the images is perfect. This exhibition intends to introduce the art of silk appliqué to the general public and students of art schools for their further studies and preservation of this art. Some parts of the work “The 35 Confessional Buddhas” can be stored in other places. Therefore, we also aim to explore the possibilities through the public display. I am confident that the Exhibition will contribute to having Mongolian silk applique inscribed in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage." stated P. Baigalmaa, Director of the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum.

The silk appliqué " The 35 Confessional Buddhas " consists of four parts and one part with the size of 1280x270 cm is being kept in the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, and three other parts, in size of 1377x220 cm, 1360x220 cm, and 515x200 cm respectively, are preserved in the Gandantegchinlen Monastery.

The 35 Confessional Buddhas are a group of Buddhas that are venerated in some forms of Buddhism, particularly in the Vajrayana tradition. These Buddhas are said to have the power to purify the negative karma of individuals who confess their negative actions to them. Buddhist believers repent of their sins committed by body, tongue, and soul in front of the 35 Buddhas to find the path to enlightenment.

The Exhibition will be open from November 28 to December 10, 2023, at the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum.