The sculpture “Gold Nugget” has been installed at Transbaikal State University

The sculpture “Gold Nugget” has been installed at Transbaikal State University — a work by Dashi Namdakov, where natural energy and ancient meanings take on a contemporary form.

Tall and almost crystalline, the sculpture contrasts with the lively, textured surface at its base — folds, fractures, and protrusions hint at something beyond mere form: a mask, a face, a presence. The sculpture does not depict; it breathes, evoking a sense of hidden inner life.

Bronze covered with gold leaf works here as both light and meaning. For Namdakov, gold represents energy, memory, and a connection to what lies deeper than time. It clings to the surface, settles in cracks, flashes along edges — and the form changes depending on the viewer and the light.

“Gold Nugget” continues a key line in the artist’s work: a dialogue with archaic forms and ongons — spirits dwelling in natural shapes. This is not an illustration of tradition, but its contemporary experience — expressed through material, scale, and the inner tension of the form.

Its installation at the university creates a new point of attraction — a space where knowledge, culture, and personal discovery meet. Gifted to the university by the company Mangazeya, it stands as a vivid image: a hidden value brought to light.