The Manila Times - Modern Art in Myanmar
TIN KYI
Modern Art in Myanmar
It's incredible how political our perspective can become about a country if
we don't get "normal" kind of information about it in the media. Take
Myanmar (formally Burma). The only thing we hear about it is the bad
treatment the ruling military men of SLORC are giving the democratic
opposition. Burmese democrats had actually won the last elections but the
SLORC rulers prevented them from holding office and keeping them in jail or
under house arrest.
I had been to Burma as a travel writer. And I found that country lovable.
But that was before SLORC times. For many years now, I haven't been giving
much thought to Burmese matters other than what you see in the media about
the political situation there. When I see the word "Myanmar" I think of how
awful the SLORC have been to Aung San Suu Kyi and nothing else.
Then recently I had to do some research on modern art in the region. I
tried getting some stuff from various websites. A young Burmese in Malaysia
had just built a site. He didn't have anything about art and artists,
though. Other sites could give you some material about shopping and tourist
spots. You can get that from Myanmar embassies.
Imagine how happy it made me to get hold of a long piece-not on the
Internet-by a Burmese, writing from inside Burma, discussing who in his
opinion the top ten "contemporary artists" in his country are. I can't tell
you his name because I'm not sure he wants to be identified. He has very
sardonic comments about the rulers that will pass an inattentive censor's
reading.
"Modern art in Myanmar," the author says, "is mainly found in Rangoon
(Yangon) and Mandalay, the country's two largest cities.
"Most modern paintings sold are in oil or watercolor. For the most part,
contemporary paintings depict scenes of rural villages and Buddhist temples
and pagodas. These are the most popular among tourists."
It seems that without getting any publicity, some Burmese artists are
painting modern and even abstract works. But only a few of them dare to
experiment.
Some of the famous artists are: "U Lun Gywe, MPP Ye Myint, Myint Swe, Sann
Myint, Maung Di, Aung Myint, Khin One, U Hla Han, Kyee Myint Saw, Pe Nyunt
Way, Than Hla Han, U Min Kyi, U Khin Shwe, Maung Hlaing, Paw Oo Thet, Khin
Maung Yin, Bo Kyi, Ma Theingi, San Minn, Tin Maung Oo, Mote Thone, Win Pe,
Paw Thame, San Naing, Linn Wunna, Nyein Chan Su, and Soe Naing."
The writer did not arrange the names according to greatness of their art,
fame or seniority. It is a mosaic of the older and the younger generations
of contemporary artists.
The experimenters, among whom are people earlier mentioned, are not
profiting from their labors. "But that is a fundamental characteristic of
contemporary art in Burma. The artists know it is not profitable and
entails a lot of sacrifice and risks."
That is true of oppressive regimes everywhere, isn't it? The artist will go
on doing his-or her- lonely craft. Until the knock on the door comes.
How blessed the artists of the Philippines are. Many of them can sell their
works for great sums, some for millions.¨