«Ulger»: authorial dolls of Namdakov family - The dolls represent mysterious figures of ancient legends of the Buryatian people in Siberia, a Buddhist population. All were created by the family of prominent sculptor Dashi Namdakov, based on his sketches.
The parents and seven of his brothers and sisters draw, and many linked their lives with arts and crafts. All of them work in the family workshop in Ulan-Ude, which is located on the second floor of the parent's house.
The 11 dolls represent the figures of ancient legends of the Buryatian people in Siberia, a Buddhist population. All were created by the family of prominent sculptor Dashi Namdakov, based on his sketches.
The parents and seven of his brothers and sisters draw, and many linked their lives with arts and crafts. All of them work in the family workshop in Ulan-Ude, which is located on the second floor of the parent's house.
Dashi's eldest sister Dorzhima Namdakova said: 'All our family is working on the dolls. Dashi draws for us the sketches, a simple black and white pencil sketch, and the rest was up to us, which colours to choose.
Dashi's eldest sister Dorzhima Namdakova said: 'All our family is working on the dolls. Dashi draws for us the sketches, a simple black and white pencil sketch, and the rest was up to us, which colours to choose
Looking at the sketch, the mind thinks whether to do this or that: whether to use leather... or something else, which colours to choose - pastel or bright. I do not know from where these ideas came.
'Our elder brother is a jeweller, making frames and bases, my sister and I sew costumes, doing makeup and wigs. Our parents always help. At least 7 people worked on each doll.'
Dashi said at the opening: 'I am happy that I can now present this exhibition. This is very delicate, difficult work, but the masters made it all filigreed. If it was leather, they cleaned it up to the thickness of the paper. And there are such patterns of fabric, beaded decorations, hair to hair on the heads - I could not even draw it in such way.'
Their dolls are in huge demand and have travelled the world after being bought, he said. Dollmaking is 'the life of my family. It is such a pleasure for them. 'And all is around our father and mother, all the children are around and they are happy with this.'
No two dolls are the same. Dashi said: 'Generally speaking it is a sculpture, but unlike, for example, bronze sculptures, which I do, here used a million different techniques. Everything is made by hand, each pattern is unique.'
The first doll was made in 2005 and was bought by rock musician Andrey Makarevich.
