gallery exhibitions - ts1yangon.comts1yangon.com/v2/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/exhibition.pdf ·...

G A L L E R Y

E X H I B I T I O N S :

S O L O S H O W

P H Y O E K Y I : T H E O T H E R S I D E

5 A P R I L 2 0 1 4 ~ 2 5 M A Y 2 0 1 4

P H Y O E K Y I

/

S I L K S C R E E N

O N S H A N P A P E R

PHYOE KYI:

THE OTHER SIDE

Text by Nathalie Johnston

TS1 Yangon’s first contemporary Myanmar art

exhibition featured work by accomplished artist

Phyoe Kyi, a resident of Taunggyi in Shan State

and one of few contemporary artists in the country

who work with new media such as video, design,

and silkscreen. His work reflects part of the energy

TS1 wants to embrace in Yangon and Myanmar in

general: a devotion to the future possibilities of a

place and the artists who look beyond traditional

ways of seeing to create innovative responses to the

present.

This was Phyoe Kyi’s first solo exhibition in Yangon

since 2001. His work invites the viewer not only into

the physical space where his work was displayed,

but also into the story of how he came to this place

in time. This series I Never Sleep Without takes the

viewer from Phyoe Kyi’s own childhood through to

adulthood, touching on all the dreams of meditation,

envy, greed, sympathy and more. It is a complex

journey through the life of artist and nature, mother

and son, performance and print. Phyoe Kyi struggled

to arrive at this conceptual place: his other side.

The title The Other Side was inspired by a Burmese

song about a boy who never chose the right path.

Nurtured to be what our elders perceive to be good,

we are raised in a nest of perfect moments, meant

to make us great. And yet, inside each of us is the

uncontrollable desire for the sin: the admiration of

what the world around us perceives to be evil. We find

strength in the villain; inspiration in jealousy; honor

in betrayal. We hide these needs and wants while

embracing the impulse to belong. Train yourselves

to understand that right and wrong always come

together. Ask for forgiveness. Find the right moments

for yourself. And never sleep without...

P H Y O E K Y I

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S I L K S C R E E N


P H Y O E K Y I

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S I L K S C R E E N


G R O U P S H O W

I T ’ S A L O N G W A Y :

7 A R T I S T S F R O M M Y A N M A R

3 0 M A Y 2 0 1 4 ~ 5 J U L Y 2 0 1 4

W A I M A R N Y U N T

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V I D E O I N S T A L L A T I O N

F R O M L E F T

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L W I N O O M A U N G

P A I N T I N G

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M A Y P H U E T H E T

I N S T A L L A T I O N

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C H A W E I T H E I N

P A I N T I N G

Z A R M I N H T I K E

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IT’S A LONG WAY:

7 ARTISTS FROM MYANMAR


This punctuating phrase can be heard on the streets

of Yangon. It is a culminating sentiment that has

origins stretching back into the pages of Myanmar’s

history. It’s a Long Way is a common English phrase

spoken in colloquial conversation amongst the

people of Myanmar. Exactly where it originated from

or when people started using it, no one is able to

say one way or another. However, one story helps to

place it in context.

Simultaneously referencing a colonial past and a

future infamous for its protests, a children’s story

describes it best: the story of Myanmar’s most

famous student Bo Aung Kyaw. He was the first of

many students to sacrifice his life for his belief in an

independent Burma. It was 1938, and Bo Aung Kyaw

and his classmates marched to the Secretariat to

stage a demonstration against the occupying British

Imperial police. Many were beaten by the mounted

policemen and several died, including Bo Aung Kyaw.

It is said that as the police forces beat the students

from atop their horses, they yelled “It’s a long way

to independence!” Ten years and World War later,

Burma became independent from the United

Kingdom.

Myanmar has experienced dozens of transition

periods and sure to experience many more. Despite

experiencing censorship and numerous limitations,

contemporary artwork in Myanmar often explores

the largely misunderstood narratives around the

country’s history, present circumstances and future

challenges. It’s a Long Way reflects these sentiments,

but it is not meant to be tragic. Its sentiment is

hopeful yet cautious about the long road to stability,

equality, and peace.

The title was chosen after the artists’ concepts were

shared. Ko So explores the environmental impact

of consumption and Waimar similarly addresses

changing cityscapes as it relates to social gatherings;

Chaw Ei Thein paints the struggles of those living on

the borders and Zoncy is interested in the conditions

of women working in the city; May Phue Thet reveals

the loss of tradition amongst a young generation; Zar

Min Htike and Lwin Oo Maung invite the viewer to

closely scrutinize the contradictions of political and

religious systems, respectively.

The artists choose to wade through the reflections

on change, whether or not that change is occurring,

and why one might feel trepidation about the future.

Never exhibited before, their work intimates their

disappointments and expectations. This exhibition

is a statement: where Myanmar is now and where it

hopes to go.

L W I N O O M A U N G

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P A I N T I N G

S O L O S H O W

N E W W O R K S B Y S O E N A I N G

1 2 J U L Y 2 0 1 4 ~ 5 A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

S O E N A I N G

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O I L O N C A N V A S

NEW WORKS BY SOE NAING


TS1 Gallery was proud to host the new works of

Soe Naing, an internationally acclaimed painter and

respected mentor from Myanmar. After studying

under Master painters such as U Lun Gwye and

U Aung Myint, he created his own style when he

abandoned the standard notions of beauty and

pursued his fascination with the irregular, the

contorted and the playful.

Art critic Aung Min refers to Soe Naing’s charcters

as “quasi-human and animal-like.” Though they

may appear unfinished, there is nothing amateur

about the artist’s brushstrokes. He has perfected

these painted actions for over twenty years. Whether

working through clay, acrylic, pen or oil, his quick

brush and mature color palette allow his figures to

dance on canvas.

S O E N A I N G

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S O E N A I N G

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S O L O S H O W

A U N G M Y I N T : 1 4 A . M .

1 5 A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 ~ 2 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4

AUNG MYINT:

14 A.M.


Aung Myint is a living legend. Aung Myint played an

integral role in the foundation of art in Myanmar and

the transition from a Occidental-influenced Modern

Period, to an adaptation of what could now be

considered Contemporary methodology specific to

the region of Southeast Asia and Myanmar, thereby

catapulting Myanmar artists into a self-defining

future.

Myanmar’s Modern period brought abstract painting

and sculpture, batik, weaving, and the reinvention

of Buddhist imagery and symbolism. Art Historian

Ma Thanegi writes in an essay titled, A Bridge to

the Future, that Aung Myint began to participate

in this movement as early as 1969, and made a

choice to experiment with different themes. Aung

Min, art critic and filmmaker, writes about the styles

of painting Aung Myint adopted in his early works,

such as Abstract Expressionism, which later led him

to several series of paintings, sculptures, conceptual

artworks and even performance art.

In 1989, Aung Myint along with San Minn and other

artist friends, opened Inya Art Gallery, and changed

the course of art in Myanmar forever. Well-known

locally and internationally, artists such as Htein

Lin, Aye Ko, and Nge Lay all credit Aung Myint as a

teacher and inspiration - an older, more experienced

artist who encouraged them to try new concepts

and challenge traditional ways of creating art. This

must have been no easy task, as art education in the

country provided limited access to new information,

focusing instead on Western portraiture and

landscape along with Buddhist temple-painting or

the traditional skills of an artisan.

Aung Myint moved artists to see the world differently

and challenge the status quo. His support was

unflinching, and he is often credited with hosting

and participating in the first exhibitions where this

kind of experimentation - performance art, curating,

installation - took place. In addition, he never lost

focus on his own work; that combination of pursuing

his own style, and all the while uplifting several

generations of other artists, is what helped make

Myanmar art matter and what makes Aung Myint a

figure worth celebrating.

A U N G M Y I N T

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A C R Y L I C O N C A N V A S

A U N G M Y I N T

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G R O U P S H O W

T H E M I R R O R : R E F L E C T I N G S O C I E T Y

2 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 ~ 3 1 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4

M Y A T K Y A W T

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A N D

P A I N T I N G

THE MIRROR:

REFLECTING SOCIETY

Co-Cureted by Moe Satt


If we hold up a mirror and walk around the city, what

kind of images would be reflected in the mirror? I am

sure, whatever the images, they would be reflections

of our society. Therefore, we decided to title our

exhibition “The Mirror: Reflecting Society”. The

artwork reflects, or mirrors, the nature of our society.

Can we say our society is an “open society” or a

“semi-open society?” In any case, we are no longer

the “closed society”. In the transition period, a more

relaxed condition than before, artists are now more

willing to tackle issues around the socio-political

that were previously considered untouchable.

In this event we feature four contemporary artists -

Myat Kyawt / Zun Ei Phyu / Wahlone and Thurein

- who work in painting, sculpture, installation, and

paper-cutting.

W A H L O N E

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S O L O S H O W

K A U N G S U : R E N O V A T I O P L A N

2 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 ~ 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

KAUNG SU:

RENOVATIO PLAN


The overriding theme of the exhibition was ecological

damage. To carry the weight of the message, Kaung

Su explores the interplay of mass extinction, crisis

of post-normal science, climate affairs, and global

threats with epic proportions. In the wood painting of

“Poor Soil’, the primary motif is devastated farmland.

On a mud colored and smoky grey landscape with

unborn or dead seeds to confront changing climates;

standing wood among in an orange-yellow light gives

the sense that the world is still breathing. Human

activities are responsible for global deforestation.

“Human Sucks” is an expression of the way Kaung

Su confronts the problem of “vanishing wood”

because of human impacts on virgin land. The

theme moves between two poles: artistic autonomy

on broken wooden sign and a linguistic concept. The

motif of ‘Rebirth with Wing” is some kind of alarm

for the last stand of primitive nature and endangered

species. The vision of the work clearly belong to the

standing figure with the limb of a wolf, wood symbols

and wings. The cut wood with the wing symbolize

the rebirth of nature, which has to fly somewhere

between a promised land and a climate free of toxins.

Underneath it all is a spiritual philosophy.

K A U N G S U

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M I X E D M E D I A O N C A N V A S

K A U N G S U

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K A U N G S U

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G R O U P S H O W

I ’ M P R O U D :

A C O L L A T E R A L E V E N T O F T H E

& P R O U D L G B T F I L M F E S T I V A L

8 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 ~ 1 8 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5

I’M PROUD:

A COLLATERAL EVENT OF THE

&PROUD LGBT FILM FESTIVAL

Text by Co-Curetor Jose Abad Lorente

The I Am Proud exhibition followed the &Proud LGBT

Film festival concept, which was to demonstrate the

diversity of LGBT lives across Asia.

The art exhibition acted as a visual dialogue about

tolerance, respect and acceptance for the LGBT

community by wider society. The conversation

started from the collaborative efforts between

Nathalie Johnston (TS1 Gallery curator) and artist/

curator Jose Abad Lorente. The different views,

sexual identities and experiences of the two curators

formed the point of departure.

The collaborative process began with TS1 Gallery

opening their doors to the LGBT community to host

the exhibition. As curators we brought together

artists from Myanmar and beyond, to bring into

conversation LGBT topics, lifestyles and gender

roles. The exhibition mixed queer and non-queer

artists projecting an understanding of a society

moving towards openness and tolerance.

As Nathalie Johnson says “The artists represented

by TS1 Gallery in the I’m Proud exhibition do not

directly address LGBT issues, but they do begin a

conversation about how we regard the human spirit

and its placement by society in assigned masculine

or feminine roles. This in turn has a profound

effect on the development of LGBT rights and the

development of Queer theory. Myanmar is entering a

new era, and artistic practice addressing such issues

is integral to the development and discussion.”

Works represented by TS1 Gallery included

photographs of performance artist Ma Ei where her

face is covered with red ribbons hiding her identity,

placed alongside reportage by Vincenzo Floramo of

Pauk Pauk - a transgender hairdresser who is open

and in living and working in Yangon.

May Phue Thet‘s work “The Burden of Being A

Bride” was a hand- embroidered Burmese-style

dress exploring the artist’s concerns about rapidly

changing fashion leaving behind traditional style. In

the exhibition context, the dress raised the question

of gender roles and dress among Myanmar people.

It was exhibited between photographs from Hongsar

Wadee, a participant in the &Proud LGBT Photo

Competition in May 2014, of the ever first same sex

marriage celebration in Myanmar.

Zar Min Htike’s selected paintings “In Front Of The

Throne” and “In Front Of The Mirror” were about

fears, ghosts and haunting experiences. Between

these two ghostly, colourful and satirical paintings

was placed Min Thwe Aung’s photographic portrait

of two young men kissing in a public park. The

juxtaposition refuted the surreal fears depicted in the

paintings and suggested what could be possible in

and out the closet.

Other invited artists included Ko Latt, one of the few

Myanmar artists who openly addresses queer issues

and sexual politics in his work. The works shown

here were the final outcome of a year’s scholarship in

Zurich. In two photographs, he portrayed himself as

an edible body, creating metaphors about food, desire

and pleasure. In a video installation, he is eating an

apple in various ways with chopsticks, knife and fork

and hands, representing cultural differences. The

exhibition also included work painted in Yangon soon

after the year study in Zurich. In this mixed media

painting he painted Andy Warhol in a double figure

and dressed as clowns. This interpretation is how he

feels Myanmar people looks at the LGBT community

as clowns, comedians and spirit mediums.

International artist Sumit Baudh (India) presented

“FLTR…You Are” an interactive sound installation

where participants were seated in front of a mirror

and listened to Baudh’s melodic voice whispering

about how beautiful, and what a marvelous person

you are.

José Abad Lorente (Spain) showed “Billy and the

Butterfly” a mixed media work that represents

“The Butterfly Dream”, one of the fables from the

Daoist Zhuang Zi. The poem is written in Chinese

on western gay magazines and the name of Zhuan

Zhou is changed for Billy, Jose’s partner’s name:

“Once upon a time, Billy dreamed he was a butterfly,

a butterfly flitting about happily enjoying himself. He

did not know that he was Billy. Suddenly he awoke,

and was palpably Billy. He did not know whether he

was Billy, who had dreamed of being a butterfly, or a

butterfly dreaming that he was Billy.”

Together Baudh and Abad presented “Yo no soy

el / I am not him” a work which searches for a self

through denial. Denial here (I am not) is a tool for

unwrapping, undressing and looking at oneself.

The photographic performance is around issues of

marginalized individuals and communities.

F R O M L E F T

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S U M I T B A U D H


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J O S E A B A N D L O R E N T E


A R C H I V A L S H O W

T H E F I F T I E S :

M U T E D C O N S C I O U S N E S S

2 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4 ~ 1 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5

THE FIFTIES:

MUTED CONSCIOUSNESS

Text by Co-Curetor Kalman Borbala

The idea to create the exhibition Muted

Consciousness, organized in January 2015 at TS1

Yangon, emerged from the simple intention to share

the significance that an archive can be a window into

the present and the future of an emerging art scene;

to manifest the advantage of letting vintage material

‘breathe’ in a white cube space – quite unusual in

Yangon – in order to emphasize the history and the

memories everyday objects can carry; to curate a

show where old photographs, original artist copies of

advertisements and posters, antique furniture may

earn a new life and meaning when brought together

with art works of the same epoch; to draw a specific

picture of an outstanding era uncovering a side of it

invisible, until now.

The show was meant to revive an important decade

of Burmese art and design history through the ‘eyes’

of only one collection: the Pansodan Gallery Archives.

For decades, its owner, Aung Soe Min, collected a wide

spectrum of arts, objects and documents with varied

dates. Within this material, even the smallest movie

flyer or simplest regional map gains a different status

when embedded in an adequate context. Hence,

through the exhibition, a specifically assembled

group of objects revealed hidden senses of an

almost forgotten time, as well as new approaches

helping to understand the visual history of a country

so long out of touch of the international art scene.

By confronting early still-lifes of Bagyi Aung Soe,

with his late black and red drawings, or authentic

traditional magazine covers with surrealist vintage

amateur photographs, the exhibition presented

different layers of a same period and brought back

to the surface some buried aspects of Burmese art.

Muted Consciousness allowed visitors to dive into

a chapter of arts so rarely researched and unravel

its content. It raised questions about sources of

inspiration, the possibility to rewrite collective history

through personal memories, freedom of arts in the

1950s, and so many more topics. The more details

explored, the more possible to see the evolution of

Burmese art history unfold.

A short background story of the ‘real’ outcome of

this exhibition: during the days when the curators

were installing the exhibition, two kids around 6

and 8, living probably somewhere around the jetty,

enjoyed coming in and out the space playing the

fools, running around, climbing on ladders and

rolling on the floor, laughing their heads off about

how wild they could be. After a few rounds and a

few occasions, they were reminded not to touch the

surface of the paintings while eating their samosas.

This caused them to look more closely. They were

curious of the ‘forbidden’. They began to spend long

minutes looking at the photographs, mistaking some

women with Aung San Suu Kyi, probably one of the

only portraits they knew. They told stories about the

scenes they discovered. They carefully inspected

each piece displayed. The next day, one of them

brought two friends and showed them around and

told them about his exploration. The same afternoon,

the other came back with some of his own buddies.

Who knows when they will encounter this type of

art again, but surely this short event contributed to

change, even the smallest part of, their vision of the

world and gave them a colourful experience, one

from beyond the jetty and which will stay with them

forever.

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