As part of its “East and South East Asian Panorama” regional open call, PhotoVogue has awarded special grants to three standout artists: Adam Han-Chun Lin from Taiwan, Keigo Wezel from Japan, and Narantsetseg Khuyagaa from Mongolia.
We spoke with Narantsetseg Khuyagaa, who received the Rising Voice Grant. This award supports promising artists whose work shows originality and strong potential.
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa is a visual artist from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Her work explores identity, femininity, and the changing image of Mongolian women. Growing up in a household led by women, her photography blurs the lines between beauty and the grotesque, the real and the artificial, sharing untold stories from her culture with the world.
In her series This Way Up, Khuyagaa portrays Mongolian contortionists—symbols of strength and elegance. Contortionism has been a key part of Mongolian culture since the 12th century. In this project, she connects this heritage with her interest in the female body, beauty, and the uncanny. The series honors her roots while also breaking from tradition, imagining new forms of beauty. With sensitivity, she explores the tension between opposing themes and questions cultural ideas about femininity, beauty, and tradition, drawing deeply from her own life.
Blue Sky
First breath, the body greets the steppe.
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
How did you first get into photography?
Family albums, Tumblr, and an iPhone 5!
I often felt out of place, and seeing how fleeting life is—especially at the slaughterhouse—scared me. I felt an urgent need to leave my mark. I loved arranging and curating photos, and eventually I wanted to create my own. I started photographing every part of my everyday life, documenting moments before they disappeared. Photography made those moments last; it made them real. Over time, that habit became a practice, and the practice grew into a love for making images. I kept exploring, experimenting, and learning every part of the craft.
Silver-Tied Armor
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Moon Split
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
What drew you to explore the boundary between beauty and the grotesque?
That boundary was my childhood—something I tried hard to escape.
The city was polished and clean, but our life outside it was raw and smelled of iron. As a child, I hated the blood-stained tiles and the gore, but I couldn’t get away from it. That mark began to show in my work: bugs eating a beautiful bouquet, or well-dressed girls in a rundown farm. Beauty felt incomplete without signs of what it had endured. I’m drawn to that mix of opposites, and photography lets me show that honest, sometimes harsh, truth in a single frame.
The mountain
One body, one horizon.
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Silver Coil
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
How did you become interested in contortionism, and how did you find your subjects?
Contortion is part of Mongolia’s cultural heritage. I’ve always been fascinated by how discipline turns into grace, and I love dance and movement.
When I moved back to Mongolia, I wanted to create a project about my heritage that went beyond the usual nomadic stories. When I learned that UNESCO had declined to recognize contortion as part of our intangible cultural heritage, the project became urgent. I started watching old footage of Mongolian contortionists and visiting training spaces and small shows. Through my costume-designer friend Muune, who reached out to bands and coaches, I met young contortionists, and the production began. The photos were made together, always keeping the performers’ comfort in mind. The series is a tribute to our heritage, honoring both the art form and the women who keep it alive.
The lake
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Jade Wheel
—Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
You’ve mentioned that your work explores sexuality and power in relation to womanhood. Can you say more about that?
I was raised by wom…Men were expected to be strong; vulnerability was taboo.
Seeing how that detachment from her own body and mind affected my mother saddened and angered me. In my work, I try to bring vulnerability back into focus and explore whether it can exist in spaces built on toughness. As a woman, owning your sexuality can feel both vulnerable and powerful. Most of us have been objectified at some point, and we recognize it when it happens to others. I aim to create images where sensuality is cherished, not exploited. Desire, to me, belongs to the subject as much as it does to me—it isn’t something performed just for the camera.
Whispers of the night
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Production matters. I work closely with small teams, and consent is an ongoing, specific process. Getting to know and talk with the women I photograph is essential. Good casting means I don’t impose unnecessary fantasies onto my subjects, and they can be themselves. Photography holds power: who gets photographed, how they’re photographed, and what is ultimately shown. I try to handle that power carefully. Who is in the room, how I direct, and how I light the scene—these seemingly small choices help return power and agency to the person being photographed. For me, the erotic isn’t just about exposure; it’s in the subject’s gaze, posture, styling, and the way light falls on their skin. The beauty of female sensuality, sexuality, and emotion is something I’ll always cherish and strive to uphold. Ultimately, I aim to create images where a woman can be vulnerable, complex, and in control all at once—seen as she sees herself, not as a role to play.
Threefold Arc
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
What projects are you currently working on, or planning for the future?
Lately, my life has revolved around the sun, rich colors, East and Southeast Asian cinema, and the erotic.
Right now, I’m in the middle of a new personal project—an ode to the erotic and pornographic, documenting Asian women and their sensuality. I hope to finish the first chapter within the next year and move toward publication. After that, I plan to relocate to a larger city, like London or Shanghai, to grow my commercial and personal work while continuing this series.
Counterpoint
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
In the mist
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Also discover:
Adam Lin’s interview
Keigo Wezel’s interview
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about the East and Southeast Asian Panorama Open Call focusing on grantee Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
General Information
1 What is the East and Southeast Asian Panorama Open Call
Its a program that provides grants and support to artists from East and Southeast Asia to help them create new work and share it with a wider audience
2 Who is Narantsetseg Khuyagaa
Narantsetseg Khuyagaa is a talented artist from Mongolia who was selected as a grantee in this program Her work often explores themes related to her cultural heritage and contemporary life
3 What kind of art does Narantsetseg Khuyagaa create
She is a visual artist known for her work in painting installation and often uses traditional Mongolian symbols and materials in a modern context
For Beginners
4 What does it mean to be a grantee in this context
Being a grantee means she was chosen to receive financial support and often other resources like mentorship or exhibition space to help her complete a specific art project
5 Why is it important to have programs like this Open Call
These programs are vital because they provide opportunities for artists who might not otherwise get funding help diverse voices be heard in the global art scene and support cultural exchange
6 Where can I see the art she creates with this grant
The finished work is usually presented in an exhibition a digital showcase or a publication organized by the program Check the official programs website or social media for announcements on where and when you can see it
Advanced Practical Questions
7 What was the specific project that Narantsetseg Khuyagaa proposed for the grant
While the exact details are often revealed with the final artwork her project likely builds on her existing practice potentially exploring Mongolian nomadic culture identity or environmental themes through her unique artistic lens
8 How are artists like her selected for the grant
A panel of experts reviews all applications based on criteria like artistic merit the strength of the project proposal its potential impact and how it fits the programs goals