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GALLERY EXHIBITIONS: SOLO SHOW PHYOE KYI: THE OTHER SIDE 5 APRIL 2014 ~ 25 MAY 2014 PHYOE KYI: THE OTHER SIDE Text by Nathalie Johnston TS1 Yangon’s frst 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 frst 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 fnd strength in the villain; inspiration in jealousy; honor in betrayal. We hide these needs and wants while embracing the impulse to belong. Train yourselves PHYOE KYI to understand that right and wrong always come / together. Ask for forgiveness. Find the right moments SILK SCREEN for yourself. And never sleep without... ON SHAN PAPER PHYOE KYI PHYOE KYI / / SILK SCREEN SILK SCREEN ON SHAN PAPER ON SHAN PAPER GROUP SHOW I T ’ S A L O N G W A Y : 7 ARTISTS FROM MYANMAR 30 MAY 2014 ~ 5 JULY 2014 WAI MAR NYUNT / VIDEO INSTALLATION FROM LEFT / L W I N O O M A U N G PAINTING / MAY PHUE THET INSTALLATION / C H A W E I T H E I N PAINTING IT’S A LONG WAY: The title was chosen after the artists’ concepts were 7 ARTISTS FROM MYANMAR shared. Ko So explores the environmental impact Text by Nathalie Johnston of consumption and Waimar similarly addresses changing cityscapes as it relates to social gatherings; This punctuating phrase can be heard on the streets Chaw Ei Thein paints the struggles of those living on of Yangon. It is a culminating sentiment that has the borders and Zoncy is interested in the conditions origins stretching back into the pages of Myanmar’s of women working in the city; May Phue Thet reveals history. It’s a Long Way is a common English phrase the loss of tradition amongst a young generation; Zar spoken in colloquial conversation amongst the Min Htike and Lwin Oo Maung invite the viewer to people of Myanmar. Exactly where it originated from closely scrutinize the contradictions of political and or when people started using it, no one is able to religious systems, respectively. say one way or another. However, one story helps to place it in context. The artists choose to wade through the reflections on change, whether or not that change is occurring, Simultaneously referencing a colonial past and a and why one might feel trepidation about the future. future infamous for its protests, a children’s story Never exhibited before, their work intimates their describes it best: the story of Myanmar’s most disappointments and expectations. This exhibition famous student Bo Aung Kyaw. He was the frst of is a statement: where Myanmar is now and where it many students to sacrifce his life for his belief in an hopes to go. 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, ZAR MIN HTIKE equality, and peace. / INSTALLATION L W I N O O M A U N G / PAINTING SOLO SHOW NEW WORKS BY SOE NAING 12 JULY 2014 ~ 5 AUGUST 2014 NEW WORKS BY SOE NAING Text by Nathalie Johnston 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 unfnished, 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 fgures to dance on canvas. SOE NAING / OIL ON CANVAS SOE NAING SOE NAING / / OIL ON CANVAS OIL ON CANVAS SOLO SHOW AUNG MYINT: 14 A.M. 15 AUGUST 2014 ~ 20 SEPTEMBER 2014 AUNG MYINT: unflinching, and he is often credited with hosting 14 A.M. and participating in the frst exhibitions where this Text by Nathalie Johnston kind of experimentation - performance art, curating, installation - took place. In addition, he never lost Aung Myint is a living legend. Aung Myint played an focus on his own work; that combination of pursuing integral role in the foundation of art in Myanmar and his own style, and all the while uplifting several the transition from a Occidental-influenced Modern generations of other artists, is what helped make Period, to an adaptation of what could now be Myanmar art matter and what makes Aung Myint a considered Contemporary methodology specifc to fgure worth celebrating. the region of Southeast Asia and Myanmar, thereby catapulting Myanmar artists into a self-defning 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 flmmaker, 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 Aung Myint moved artists to see the world differently / and challenge the status quo. His support was ACRYLIC ON CANVAS AUNG MYINT / ACRYLIC ON CANVAS GROUP SHOW THE MIRROR: REFLECTING SOCIETY 26 SEPTEMBER 2014 ~ 31 OCTOBER 2014 MYAT KYAWT / INSTALLATION AND PAINTING THE MIRROR: REFLECTING SOCIETY Co-Cureted by Moe Satt Text by Nathalie Johnston 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. WAHLONE / ACRYLIC ON CANVAS KAUNG SU: RENOVATIO PLAN Text by Nathalie Johnston SOLO SHOW KAUNG SU: RENOVATIO PLAN The overriding theme of the exhibition was ecological damage. To carry the weight of the message, Kaung 22 NOVEMBER 2014 ~ 1 JANUARY 2015 Su explores the interplay of mass extinction, crisis of post-normal science, climate affairs, and global threats with epic proportions.

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