Kyaw Thu's Triumph of Art Exhibition in New York City

"Security = Warmth" (36 x 40, acrylic on canvas) 

 A Burmese well-respected philanthropist & actor, Kyaw Thu, had a triumph of art exhibition in New York City over the Memorial Day weekend. Traveling from Burma, a place more than 8000 miles away from New York City, Kyaw Thu’s paintings carry colorful stories to be revealed. Some paintings represent Burmese’s culture, some speak about the artist’s desire for freedom & peace, and other reflects the history of revolutions that took place in Burma. 

In the Project Reach's room filled with Burmeses and Americans from different background, I could feel the creator’s pain, sadness and happiness through his paintings. Yes...Kyaw Thu’s paintings rock.

Kyaw Thu with his paintings

The artist named his solo show as First Break Out.

“I have been denied all rights to artistic creation in Myanmar since September 2007, when I offered alms and water to monks walking in peaceful protest and reciting prayers of love during the Saffron Revolution, all the way to my current visit to the United States. I would like to call it the first breakout, the first artistic expressions from the heart, to be able to publicly exhibit the heartfelt works I have painted during my visit to America,” Kyaw Thu said in his opening speech. 

"War and Peace"  (36 x 24, mixed media ) 

 

Colors from paintings are reflections of life. Similar to his paintings, the artist’s life is painted with colorful experiences. He is one of Burma’s best-known actors/directors (two times Burmese Academy Award winner). Besides his acting career, Kyaw Thu is the founder of the Free Funeral Services Society, an organization that provides free funeral services, free medical services, free library and free education to the poor. 

He also played a prominent role in relief projects in response to natural disasters such as Cyclone Nargis. As much as he is loved by the poor, he was oppressed by the military government. His films and paintings were banned in Burma. “An actor’s life is meaningless if he is not allowed to act,” Kyaw Thu said in one of his interviews with the media. Moreover, he and his wife were arrested for supporting the protesting monks in September Saffron Revolution in 2007. Regardless of challenges, they both continue to provide social services to less fortunate people. 

A Burmese Artist Displays His Memories of Those Who Were in need of food in Burma

The Mattress Factory Museum in Pittsburgh is displaying an exhibition of a Burmese artist, Than Htay Maung, whose expression reflects memories of the begging hands that he saw in Burma after the Nagis Cyclone. 


The Cyclone hit Burma on the evening of May 2,2008, blowing away 700,000 homes and leaving about 100,000 deaths and about 50,000 missing.The cyclone was recorded as one of the deadliest storms in recorded history. At that time, Maung tried to fill food in those begging hands as much as he could... but the number of hands were more than he could supply. Deeply hurt by the hands that he left without food, Maung decided to display his feeling..a strong desire to offer food and love to those needy hands as follows: 

Photo: from mattress.org

Click here to view it on Youtube



The exhibition is currently displayed at The Mattress Factory Museum in Pittsburgh (from October 28,2011-May 27,2012). 

A Shan Lady who enjoys raising awareness about her country through her art

Some artists create their work for pleasure; some just want to keep their memories alive and others as a mental outlet. Watching the paintings created by a Shan Lady, Feraya Ullathorne, whose paintings were mostly related to Shan people and its culture, I attempted to find out whether she has deeper meanings behind these paintings.  

 Interestingly enough, I found out that Feraya has been using her art for good causes: fund raising for Shan refugees as well as internally displaced children, and raising awareness about her motherland, Shan State. She also drew political cartoons for Burma Digest. Moreover, she used her art to heal people (worked as an art therapist) at a hospice in England. Most of her cartoons revealed situations inside Burma.Through her actions, I believe that she is more likely an activist than an artist or a cartoonist. Indeed, she is making voices for voiceless people living inside Burma.

Although she has left her beloved homeland at the age of 14, her memories and thoughts are still full of the love for Shan people. Her unspoken love to her country and its people can be seen through her paintings or her website at  http://www.taigress.info/  

Feraya recently published some of her arts into a book titled as "Feraya's world - A Shan Lady's Paintings". The book can be purchased at http://www.blurb.com/books/2959863. The profit from this book will go to good causes of Shan people and those who are in need. 


Some people use guns, some use negotiations and others use their talents to fight for their country. The most important thing is having a desire to fight.Regardless of her busy schedule, she warmly welcome my interview: