Lost Rivers – 10-Day Lab, an international program was implemented in Mongolia from 3 to 13 July 2023, involving 38 artists from Germany, USA, UK, Austria, Australia, Taiwan, and Mongolia. The list of the participants included Sainkho Namtchylak – Tuvan born Austrian singer, composer and artist, Shu Lea Cheang – Taiwanese American artist and filmmaker, based in Paris, Kaffe Matthews – British sound artist, composer, based in Berlin, Diana Chester – American sound and media artist based in Sydney, Fabian Cohn – Swiss choreographer, based in Berlin, Maria Dirneder – Austrian sound artist, and 30 Mongolian artists. The program is curated by Gantuya Badamgarav, a founding director of the Mongolian Contemporary Art Support Association.
The program started with open discussion featuring Shu Lea Chean, followed by several events held in Funkhaus, including ZAAG, a multimedia installation by Diana Chester and Ariuntuya Jambaldorj, Calligraphy of Sound by Sainkho Namtchylak, Chinzorig Ryenchin-Ochir and Erdene Sukhbaatar, Lost Rivers – Motion Performance with 18 artists and Sainkho Namtchylak, choreographed by Fabian Cohn and sound experiment by Kaffe Matthews and Davaajargal Tsaschikher.
On the fourth day of Lab artists supposed to gather at the Nomadic Red Corner residency and discuss about upcoming trip to Ikh Gazriin Chuluu, Dundgobi province. Artists Shu Lea Cheang and Kaffe Matthews, choreographer Fabian Cohn and curator of the project Gantuya Badamgarav came first to the residency. By the time, capital city of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar was hit with heavy flood, thus roads were blocked, and traffic jams caused hours of delay in the city, creating terrible chaos. Because of the situation, the other artists were stuck in different parts of the city. Electricity was cut at the residency. While waiting for the others, Shu Lea Cheang prepared food for the team and Kaffe Matthews and Fabian Cohn went to explore Ger District area. Later Blue Sun artists came. Artists stayed for one night at the residency without electricity.
In photo, disappointed with the situation, Shu Lea Cheang and Kaffe Matthews sitting outside of residency