Exhibitions
Manau Park Hall (Myitkyina, Kachin)
Apr 02 - Apr 05, 2019
Written by Yuki Kitazumi (Journalist living in Yangon), Translated by AURA Art
From 2nd to 5th April, an exhibition of paintings was held at Manau Park in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in the northern part of Myanmar, and this was hosted by the Arts Committee of the Kachin Cultural Association. According to the organizers, there is no record of such a full-scale painting exhibition in Myitkyina, where there are few places to display paintings such as galleries being held, so this will be the first of its kind. In the park hall, a total of about 100 works were exhibited, including about 10 from local artists and painters, as well as painters from Yangon and other countries.
Nhkun Brang and other well known Kachin artists played a leading role in this painting exhibition. It was organized by the Arts Committee of the Kachin Cultural Association. Many celebrities, such as local entertainers, cooperated and it became a major event for Myitkyina. At the venue, many works representing the lives of ethnic minorities living in Kachin State and traditional ethnic motifs were on displayed.
Nhkun Brang, known for designing the park's monuments, exhibited more than 60 acrylic painting, etc. Though there are cases in Myitkyina where prominent artists like him have their own studio and gallery, there are only a few painting dealers and their distribution channels are limited, according to the people involved in the exhibition. This art exhibition was aimed to breaking this situation and to create a greater venue for presentations by young artists.
Nhkun Brang paints works with a wide range of styles, but many of them are still motivated by Kachin's tradition. Women playing music is characteristic. The women are close-ups of music players who are not necessarily young, and he finishes them up to bring out the appeal of skilled techniques on the canvas.
In addition, there were many works that express the lives of ethnic groups. The Kachin people are a mountainous tribe of people living in the northern part of Myanmar. Even the Kachin people are divided into sub-groups such as the Jingpo, the Lawngwaw, and the Lisu, and are highly diverse. While works depicting mining workers working in harsh environments and brimming with masculinity, in many paintings traditional women in the ethnic costumes of the Kachin people were depicted. There was also a work depicting a noble person who is smoking a cigarette.
A work depicting a newlywed man and woman walking in a lemongrass bush is based on the folklore of the Kachin people. Before the conversion of the Kachin people to Christianity, women were regarded as the incarnation of dragons. It is said that the fragrance of lemongrass is used to purify the woman (who is supposedly a dragon) from disaster.
In addition to the above, there were other works that depicted ethnic costumes in deformation and in an illustrative style. Besides songs and dances associated with the Hare Day (the sacred day), there were also works that made out the everyday scenery of rural areas, such as mothers carrying children on their backs.
A picture was seen that depicted a woman who had her breast exposed for breastfeeding while nursing a child. Local painter Zaw Min Thein has also exhibited works on the theme of naked women, which is still rare in Myanmar. This is the first exhibition of paintings in the region, and works from a wide range of artists were all gathered together.
Live painting demonstrations by several artists were also conducted at the venue. The scene depicted was Myitsone's landscape in Kachin State, where the construction of a dam with Chinese assistance is being discussed. One artist said, ''By depicting this, I want to express Myitsone's natural beauty and convey the will of local residents (who oppose the construction of the dam)."
Nhkun Brang also painted at the exhibition hall and performed a portrait- painting of Aung San Suu Kyi, the state counsellor of Myanmar, who is also popular in Kachin.
Currently, the number of young and powerful artists is growing in Kachin State, and one artist said, "I want to enliven Kachin's art through these exhibitions." American artists also participated in the exhibition. It is expected that artists from Kachin State will play an active role in the wider world in the future.
