Famous Tuvan stone-carver celebrates his 65th birthday

On January 1, a representative of a famous Bai-Taiga dynasty of stone-carvers, Donduk Toibukhaa celebrated his 65^th birthday. The name of the Merited Artist of Russia(1988), Laureate of State Award of Russia(1992), State Award of Tuva(1991), and prize of Leninist Komsomol of Tuva, is included in the state book of the republic “People of Merit of Tuva in XX. Century”.

His amazingly expressive creations of chonar-dash (soft stone) have been shown at more than 40 exhibitions in many various corners of the world, including USA, Italy, Canada, Jordan, Vietnam, Mongolia and Germany.

Donduk Khertekovich Toibukhaa was born on January 1, 1945, in Kop-Sook village (now Kyzyl-Dag) of the Bai-Taiga district of Tuvinian Autonomous Region.

He graduated from the art department of Kyzyl School of Arts in 1973. From 1967 he has been a folk stone-carver. Since 1968, he has been a member of Artists’ Union of RF.

The professionalization of Tuvan folk art of chonar-dash (known geologically as agalmatolith) carving, was a result of a meeting between Donduk Khertekovich’s father, field doctor Khertek Toibukhaa, and Sevyan Vainshtein, the famous ethnographer.

The famous researcher of Tuva became interested in this unique art form when he was working in Bai-Taiga, Toibukhaa’s native land, which is home to the absolute majority of stone carvers.

Currently, the school of arts and crafts in Bai-Taiga carries the name of Khertek Toibukhaa, the founder of the dynasty of stone carvers.