Filed under: exhibit | Tags: abstract art, Aung Myint, Ba Htay Kyi, bagyi aung soe, Dawei Lay, Eikaza Cho, kin maung yin, Ko Ko Naing, Lynn Wunna, Maung Di, Minn Zaw, Moat Thone, Myint Soe, Nay Myo Say, non-figurative, Nyein Chang Su, Rahula, santiniketan, soe naing, Zaw Mong, zero
“Do not think the small number zero unworthy, insignificant, and unimportant.”
Bagyi Aung Soe (1924-90)
Bagyi Aung Soe was a pioneer of modern art in Burma. He drew and painted in a wide variety of styles and media. His illustrations for books and magazines were familiar to a large public.
After coming back from a year at Rabindranath Tagore’s Śāntiniketan, he is credited with the first abstract painting in Burma, an illustration published in Shumawa magazine in early 1953. It was highly controversial at the time, with some people saying that Bagyi Aung Soe was mad. But he had a supreme confidence in what he was doing, and continued to explore wherever his freedom took him.
His work, which often incorporates text into drawings, continued to impress with its intelligence and originality.
You can find more of his work and thought at this excellent website:
http://www.bagyiaungsoe.com/
And you can find an article on him, with 20 good-quality reproductions of his work here:
http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs6/JBS2006-Ker.pdf
Here is his book စာမဲ့ကဗျာ (Poetry without words), an e-book which unfortunately has low-resolution images.
Best of all you will see his work in person if you can make your way to Pansodan Gallery between 7 – 13 December. Bagyi Aung Soe’s work will be accompanied by the work of 16 other modern artists:
Aung Myint, Ba Htay Kyi, Dawei Lay, Eikaza Cho, Kin Maung Yin, Ko Ko Naing, Lynn Wunna, Maung Di, Minn Zaw, Moat Thone, Myint Soe, Nay Myo Say, Nyein Chang Su, Rahula, Soe Naing, Zaw Mong
Here are a couple of Soe Naings. He will be having an exhibition in Phnom Penh at the French Cultural Centre in January. I will post details here when they are certain.
Filed under: exhibit | Tags: Bogyoke Aung San, Harold Hitchcock, portrait, Sai Hti Hsaing, Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing
We are back from a visit to Europe, and shipped back several late-19th century paintings in various styles, and one charismatic Harold Hitchcock. Come see them at Pansodan Gallery. Meanwhile, a new exhibit of portraits awaits your perusal.
Filed under: art and ideas | Tags: autobiography, burma, judyth gregory-smith, mo tejani, myanmar, travelogue
The next Art and Ideas evening will start at 5pm on Sunday, 16 August. There will be two authors speaking and reading from their work, Mo Tejani and Judyth Gregory–Smith.
Along with an evening with two very funny, very friendly writers, you can enjoy my newest bright blue herbal tea.
Judyth Gregory–Smith A trishaw called Kinny: journeys in Myanmar
Ms Gregory–Smith is a veteran travel journalist with numerous publications in international periodicals, and two books on Sulawesi — Sulawesi: Ujung Pandang to Kendari and Southeast Sulawesi – Islands of Surprises.
‘A Trishaw called Kinny: Journeys in Myanmar’ is an intimate, detailed travelogue packed with first-hand information. One theme of the book is royal cities. She explores and tells about their fascinating histories: numerous royal wives, abundant royal children and the massacre by each new king of his relatives to thwart any pretenders to the throne.
Her sharp observations and wit are put to good use in modern Myanmar, so different from its neighbours.
When she was planning a trip to Myanmar, she had tried to buy such a book to supplement the guide-books, but there were no travelogues later than the beginning of the 20th century. The books she could find were mainly on the political situation. Perhaps as a result, she the trip ended up being rich in unintended adventure travel experience. And soon there will be such a book.
Quote from ‘A Trishaw called Kinny: Journeys in Myanmar’
Richard and I first visited Myanmar, then called Burma, in 1987. Our passions were travel, nature, birds, other cultures and each other. The list is not in order. We were on leave from the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea.
“Wouldn’t it be good to see what my opposite number is doing in the Embassy in Burma?’ he’d said, which in Richard-speak really meant ‘Wouldn’t it be good to traipse through jungles and swamps to study Burma’s rainforest birds and animals.’Richard’s opposite number in Burma was on my side. He arranged civilized visits to the Strand, the Shwedagon, Pegu, Pagan and Mandalay. No swamps. The powers-that-were permitted a visa for only two-weeks, but that was enough to fall in love with the country.
We vowed to return. And I did. Alone. Richard died in 2001. Had it not been for my daughter, I might not have returned. Fiona and her partner Patrick work for the International Committee of the Red Cross and were posted there. To spend time with them and my grandchildren, I would return to Myanmar.
This book – a geographical, historical and personal journey – also charts my own journey of recovery and self-discovery after the death of Richard. I travel alone throughout Myanmar visiting not only the well-known pagodas and monasteries, but also isolated villages, farming communities and schools. I use public transport, stay at family-run guesthouses and meet with the local people who are rich in culture, but poor in material possessions.
Mo Tejani A Chameleon’s Tale: true stories of a global refugee
Mohezin (“Mo”) Tejani—an Indian Shia Muslim by
a chameleon's tale, design by Doug Morton, 72 Studio
Over the last five years, Mo has returned to his childhood passion–writing. The first volume of his memoirs, “A Chameleon’s Tale: True Stories of a Global Refugee” is a reflection of his life of travel and the continued search for a place he can call home. As one reviewer noted, Tejani is “a cross-cultural Jack Kerouac”
Mo currently resides in Chiang Mai, Thailand and writes feature articles, poetry, and essays for various magazines worldwide. A Chameleon’s Tale was chosen as a finalist for a PEN Book Award in 2007. In 2004, his “stalking interview” in Bangkok with Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul appeared in Untamed Travel Magazine, distributed all over Southeast Asia. The second volume of his travel memoirs, Global Crossroads, due for publication in 2010, focuses on the psychological alienation of exile and ultimately the liberation from his own cultural chains.
Quote from A Chameleon’s Tale
Children were everywhere in the streets of Vietnam…. On the sandy beach, a grouop of five cornered me: two boys with Chiclets and imported cigarettes, adn three girls with fresh pineapples, oranges, and dragon fruit, all in season…. On a whim, I decided to try an experiment with [the] gang of entrepreneurs.
“If I promise to buy two things from each of you, you must agree to play on the beach for the next two hours. Okay?”
They all looked at mu suspiciously at first. The questions were endless. What was I up to? How could they be sure I would keep my promise at the end of the two hours? What if their mothers caught them playing on the beach and not selling their quota for the day? They must leave before five o’clock for Hoi An City Hall to sell to the workers on their way home.
Once assured that I was sincere in my offer, they had a private meeting among themselves. When they came back, Tranh mad eme specify the two things I would buy from each of them, the price I would pay for each item, and when the playing time would be over. Finally, after twenty minutes, we concluded our negotiations.
Twenty minutes. Smiles all around. Back in 1973, it took Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho twenty days — while the killing continued on both sides — to agree on which directions the tables they sat at would face during the peace treaty in Paris. Later that year, both men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the end of the war. Kissinger accepted the award; Le Duc Tho did not.
Read reviews of the book in the Chiang Mai Mail here, and in Book Review Journal here.
About the event
As always, a portion of the sales from the event will be donated to local organisation Cultural Canvas, which provides art experiences for disadvantaged children in and around Chiang Mai.
Location: click me for google map
Find Suriya Gallery in the western part of Chiang Mai, Thailand near Chiang Mai University, on Huay Kaew Road. It is at No. 2, Hotel Bua Luang, Soi Bua Luang (the same soi as Holiday Garden), off Huay Kaew Road. Look for the spray-paint Suriya Art Gallery sign before you get to the hotel gate, or park in the Nice Nails/Mr Chan and Miss Pauline’s Pizza parking lot at the mouth of the soi, and walk through the gate, keeping to the left, to No. 2.
“Nothing I know. I do whatever I like, ha ha ha…”
A new exhibit at Pansodan starts on 1 August, featuring the beloved artist U Kin Maung Yin (1938 – ), who is quoted here from Pan Magazine, 6.09, n4p28.
He was influenced early on by Abstract Expressionism and by his background as a professional architect. That structured background in engineering and architecture did nothing to tame the exuberance of his mind. His art is a product of the conflicting tendencies of his natural love of experimentation and expression, and trying to go to zero.
He is well known for his lack of regard for things of this world, and total devotion to the creative process. He has no ambitions for ease and comfort, and no interest in conventions. In his home, he has been known to use paintings to patch holes. He used to clean his brushes on his front door…. and gradually turned it into a painting. The door is now in the collection of well-known artist.
Paintings are like this: you look at it this it today, and it is one way. The next day, it is another. If you look at it from here, it is one way; from over there, it’s another. That’s the kind I like. I don’t like paintings which look the same old way no matter however and whenever you see them. [U Kin Maung Yin quoted in မြန်မာခေတ်ပြိုင်အနုပညာ ၁ ဦးအောင်မြင့်၊ ဦအောင်မင်း Myanmar Contemporary Art, Volume 1, p100]
Khin Maung Yin self-portrait
U Kin Maung Yin is still painting, and he will be at the gallery for a time. Don’t miss the chance to meet him!
See a few of his pagoda paintings online here.
Read about him in a rather wildly styled essay here.
See plenty of photographs of the exhibit here.
Join his facebook fans page here.
An article written about him in Burmese is here.
Filed under: food
I have been very busy finishing a Burmese – English, English – Burmese dictionary for some time. It is now on our gallery bookshelf, along with a selection of Burmese and English books.
Now I am looking at the blog again, and see that a number of people have arrived here searching for Burmese tea. So here is my suggestion for making Burmese tea when your nearest teashop is just too far away.
First of all, black tea from Burma cannot be substituted completely. If you are buying tea before leaving Burma, or are looking for where to buy the best tea for others, I recommend buying it at the Modern Teashop in Tamwe. If you can’t get there, just get whatever you can. If you can’t get Burmese tea, then use a strong Assam. Burmese tea cannot be made with Lipton. You will also need sweetened condensed milk and whole milk.
Ideally, put about a tablespoon of the tea per cup, plus a pinch of oolong tea, and a little salt in cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil briefly, and then let steep for as long as you can wait. In some teashops, they leave the kettle on a low charcoal fire overnight. Everything tastes better when cooked with charcoal, but that is a pleasure we are going to have to give up.
When you pour out the tea, it should look as dark as a good cup of coffee. Put in about 20% warmed whole milk, and sweetened condensed milk to taste. Note how much you use, because of course it is best to put the sweetened condensed milk in first, and then stir in such a way to leave a small amount at the bottom of the cup, to be the dessert of the tea.
Another event coming up soon — a joint reading by two travelling authors.
Filed under: exhibit | Tags: collage, found materials, kyi may kaung, mixed media, recycle
Collage is one of the easiest as well as one of the most challenging art forms possible.
All you need are a sheet of paper to use as a base, scrap paper from magazines etc., scissors and glue and your imagination.
Matisse in his old age when arthritis had hurt his fingers, used scissors to make such arresting collages as Blue Nude.
I myself like collages, which like Matisse’s, are not cluttered and which stress shape, color and form.
This is challenging because you have to cut or tear cleanly and know what you want. You have to select paper you will use from paper you will throw away.
Elsworth Kelly’s work could be collages, except they are presented as large paintings.
I like to “cut against the grain” of the original image.
I use recycled paper from clothes catalogs or bits of my paintings that “don’t work” and scrap odd and ends from my wearable art projects.
I like abstracts rather than figurative, representational images.
I am an artist “out of Burma” but I don’t feel I should paint or produce only so-called “Burmese images” of dancers, pagodas etc.
Much of my inspiration comes from Nature.
Sometimes the color of a piece of paper will inspire me to cut it a certain way.
Collage is an environmentally friendly art form as it uses recycled material.
I also make 3 D collages of found materials.
Kyi May Kaung will be giving a poetry reading, talk, and we will have a collage fest at Suriya Gallery in December this year. Read her bio below the image.
Kyi May Kaung (Ph.D.) has a doctorate in Political Economy from the University of Pennsylvania and her day job is as a socially committed political and economic analyst.
She has painted since she was a child, with well-known Burmese artists such as U San Win and U Ngwe Gaing, but has attended few art classes.
She has shown her art at Foundry Gallery, Washington DC, Space 7-10 in Silver Spring MD, Hotel Arthur in Helsinki, Finland, Heliport Gallery MD., SuvarnaBhumi Gallery, Chiangmai, Dragonfly Gallery, Ubud, Bali and now Suriya Gallery, Chiangmai, Thailand.
She paints mostly abstracts or portraits of imagined iconic figures and composite portraits of imagined people such as “Our Lady of Poppies,” generated from her imagination and some photographs. Sometimes the portraits change age, ethnicity or gender as she paints.
To buy or commission her art, please contact Suriya Gallery or leave a message on her blog site http://kyimaykaung.blogspot.com
Filed under: food
It all started with the Malaysian cardamom, giving a delicious aroma to the coffee. But could I stop there? No. The latest, waking me up particularly effectively this morning, was coffee with red chilli. It took a few tries to find the complement that would get the coffee and chilli flavours to hit at the same time, but I think I have got it now. Other ingredients have unexpected and delicious effects. Come in and make a request, or try one and see if you can guess what’s in it.
Filed under: art and ideas, food | Tags: burma, censorship, jacqueline suter, modern art, myanmar
Hide and Seek: Social Commentary in Contemporary Burmese Art
See the Chiang Mai Mail’s article on the talk here.
As always, ten per cent of any art sales, and 20 per cent of any other sales will be donated to a local organisation, Cultural Canvas, to provide art experiences for the children of migrants in Chiang Mai. Or choose to donate to a fund to provide medical care to people crossing the border for medical care. See one case at homepage.mac.com/inkish/Pansodan/AnipoAppeal.ppt.htm
This event is free and open to all.
Suriya Art Gallery, No. 2, Hotel Bua Luang, Soi Bua Luang (the same soi as Holiday Garden, off Huay Kaew Road. Look for the spray-paint Suriya Art Gallery sign before you get to the hotel gate, or park in the Nice Nails/Mr Chan and Miss Pauline’s Pizza parking lot and walk through the gate to No. 2)
For info: suriyagallery@gmail.com, 053 221 969
Filed under: info
It is time for me to make a visa run, and so the gallery will be closed most of the time for the next week. At times, friends will come open the gallery, but no coffee or snacks will be available. Well, unless you can get Dee Dee to cook for you. Go ahead and try, she’s really good.
Normal hours (10am – 10pm, except Thursdays 10-6) resume on 8 March, but the gallery will be closed during much of the day on 11 March.
When I come back, chai extravaganza! I am working on a special formulation for chilled chai for the hot season. I am bringing back three kinds of black tea from Malaysia and India, and now have a supply of black tea from Burma too. Also from Malaysia, a bag full of fresh spices.
Chilled chai will be going for 10 baht a glass if you don’t complain about it. If you really hate it, I’ll give you a different version. Try it soon — once I settle on a recipe it will go up to 25.
Filed under: art and ideas | Tags: alexandra green, anein, burma, jataka, mural, temple painting, thai, theravada buddhism
Alexandra Green gave an illustrated talk exploring the Buddhist subject matter of Thai and Burmese wall paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. A summary of the talk as written up in the Chiang Mai Mail newspaper is here.
The murals are largely composed of illustrations of the Jataka stories, the life of Gotama Buddha, the spiritual planes of the universe which address the concept of rebirth, celestial beings, mythical creatures, and Himavanta Forest. Delving into the layout of the wall paintings, the significance of the images is revealed. The imagery is more complex than immediately apparent. Strong links to popular beliefs emerge, even in the context of sacred stories.
You can read Dr Green’s research on paintings at Tilokaguru cave-temple in Sagaing online in the SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research vol. 3, no. 2 article Burma : http://web.soas.ac.uk/burma/3_2.htm
Her most recent book is Eclectic Collecting: Art from Burma in the Denison Museum.
Alexandra Green is research assistant professor in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Hong Kong, where she is working on a book on Burmese murals and a project comparing Thai and Burmese wall paintings. Prior to her current appointment, Dr. Green was director and curator of Asian Art at the Denison Museum at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, USA. Besides publishing articles on Burmese murals, she has also edited two volumes on Burmese art, including “Burma: Art and Archaeology” for the British Museum Press and “Eclectic Collecting: Art from Burma in the Denison Museum”, published by Singapore University Press. Dr. Green’s Ph.D. is from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK.
As always, ten per cent of any art sales, and 20 per cent of any other sales will be donated to a local organisation, Cultural Canvas, to provide art experiences for the children of migrants in Chiang Mai. Or choose to donate to a fund to provide medical care to people crossing the border for medical care. See one case at homepage.mac.com/inkish/Pansodan/AnipoAppeal.ppt.htm
Suriya Art Gallery, No. 2, Hotel Bua Luang, Soi Bua Luang (the same soi as Holiday Garden, off Huay Kaew Road. Look for the spray-paint Suriya Art Gallery sign before you get to the hotel gate, or park in the Nice Nails/Mr Chan and Miss Pauline’s Pizza parking lot and walk through the gate to No. 2)
For info: suriyagallery@gmail.com, 053 221 969
Today’s creation — a lot of fresh tomatoes, a little steamed squash, fresh herbs, onion and garlic shoots from my garden, and a few goji berries. Dressing: olive oil, lime juice, shredded ginger, and a secret ingredient. When salad has been tossed, empty a passionfruit into it. Have it for 65 baht at Suriya Gallery. Add a piece of olive oil-marinated feta cheese for 30 baht.
Filed under: art and ideas | Tags: 72Studio, alexandra green, bagan, bryce beemer, jacqueline suter, lanna, lokanat, modern art, pagan, temple paintings
Lokanat
Three people are preparing Art and Ideas talks for the next months. On Sunday 15 March, Alexandra Green will talk about Burmese and Lanna temple paintings (talk description coming soon). You can read up on Pagan at this site: http://www.timemap.net/~hudson/pagan.htm
We will then have another talk toward the art side of art and ideas: Jacqueline Suter will speak about buried social commentary in modern Burmese art. Back in the ideas direction, Bryce Beemer will talk about Siamese war captives in Burman capitals. That will take us up to Songkran, and perhaps beyond. When possible, talks will take place on Sunday evenings.
Boat race
A few writers have also agreed (or half agreed) to give talks, but their dates are yet uncertain.
Thanks to 72Studio, Chiang Mai for image processing.
First of all, thanks to Steve for loaning me his excellent blender. So, once I could get the the market, what did I do with it? Pineapple – papaya – strawberry – peppermint smoothie with a little lime, made with bael fruit – chrysanthemum tea, plus two secret ingredients. One ice cube per glass. Almost too thick to drink.
Steve, come over and collect your smoothies!
Filed under: art and ideas
Last night’s Art and Ideas night was much enjoyed by all thanks to Amporn’s efforts. I have recorded the talk and will check the sound quality. I will try to edit out the tour busses, and eventually will post it on this site.
The next evening (this Friday, 13 February, 6pm) will be a different style — the presenter is a history teacher who was working in Pakistan during the Danish cartoons matter; now he is in Yangon. He will talk about:
THAT WHAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED: PERSONAL AND POLITICAL FREEDOM IN PAKISTAN AND BURMA
A history teacher who has taught at high schools in both Pakistan and Burma, will lead a discussion around the subject of personal and political freedom in each of these countries.
The discussion will be introduced through Robert’s personal observations and experiences, through photographs taken in both countries, and through through his understanding of the history of each of these fairly new countries. Among the topics considered will be politics, religion, and gender.
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I hope the discussion will broaden out to what cannot be named in certain societies or in our own countries, and what the effect of that is on a larger level.
I’m afraid you might have missed Soe Naing’s show. Here’s a sample of his new series.
Filed under: art and ideas | Tags: amporn jirattikorn, art and ideas, shan migrants
Dr Amporn Jirattikorn will draw on her interesting research on the world of Shan migrants in Thailand to discuss the shifting perception of Shans in Thailand. They are seen at times as ethnic brothers who deserve support and sympathy, and as aliens who are grudgingly tolerated and put to use.
This will be related to the experiences of Shan prisoners in a Chiang Mai prison. These long-term prisoners create a national experience among themselves through radio, media, music, and literature, with a tenuous link to the outside world. An informal presentation will be followed by discussion. Ten per cent of any art sales, and 20 per cent of any other sales will be donated to a local organisation, Cultural Canvas, to provide art experiences for the children of migrants in Chiang Mai. Or choose to donate to a fund to provide medical care to people crossing the border for medical care. See homepage.mac.com/inkish/Pansodan/AnipoAppeal.ppt.htm for one case. at
There were two things. First, I miss my life in Yangon, where I never knew what face might be behind the knock on the door. With communications there so poor (we had no phone until recently) few bother to make a date, whether visiting from Yangon or the countryside. And people would just send their friends without telling us, or people would hear about us and just show up. It got so that anyone looking foreign who was wanding in our street in downtown Yangon looking lost might be ushered up our staircase by well-meaning neighbours. There were a few people who were looking for someone entirely different.
They might just be friendly, or might be there to look at our library, to talk business, to look at art, to chat about their field.
Second, Chiang Mai, a city with several universities, many intellectuals, and a large number of expats working, retired, or other who in their own countries would be going to public lectures. Or giving them. Thai lectures are inaccessible to many of us, but there is a big enough English-speaking community that there should be plenty of interest in talks and readings.
Also, I wanted to do something to support humanitarian work. So … Art and Ideas, talks and readings in the gallery, with profits to Cultural Canvas or to provide medical treatment for those who need it at a hospital where one of my friends is working.
Check here on Pansuriya for dates and topics. I’ve just started and I already have Amporn Jirittakorn talking about Shan migrants from an athropological point of view, three writers reading from their work, and Alexandra Green on temple paintings, and Bryce Beemer on Siamese war captives in the Burmese sphere.
And that’s before I really started trying. Have any ideas you’d like to see? People you’d like to see talk? Email me or leave comments.
Check this blog for events planned.
The cafe side of things has been picking up. Today’s special is the alliterative papaya – passionfruit – peppermint smoothie. With secret ingredients that make it more delicious. I tried it out on a loyal customer, not sure whether I am the only one wo likes so many flecks in my juice. He tolerated it well and ordered another.
