Artwork by S Mo Z, featured in Artwork | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Travel and spirituality are explored repeatedly in Voices from the Golden Land, an exhibition of artworks by Myanmar artists at Kalakriti Art Gallery in Hyderabad. Some of these artworks show people on foot, travelling far and wide in search of peace. These paintings depict the spiritual journey in the land of pagodas, and highlight the sense of displacement of people affected by conflict. Instead of presenting a grim picture, the artists portray the inner strength of people to move forward. Artworks by Than Kyaw Htay, S. Moe Zed, Win Zin and Ne Hlaing Win are on display, curated by Ivy Lin.
An exclusive showcase of Myanmar art is not often seen in Hyderabad. Talking about the collaboration, curator Ivy Lin said she met Rekha Lahoti of the artwork at a conference in Singapore. “We started talking about art. We discussed how I collect and love Myanmar art, and her gallery in Hyderabad. I expressed my wish that Burmese artworks should be seen and appreciated by more and more people as these artists rarely get a platform to share their voices with the world.”
Ivy Lin describes Voices from the Golden Land as a celebration of Myanmar’s culture, diverse ethnicities, traditions and music, as the artworks tell stories of empathy, peace and resilience.
In some of S. Mo Z.’s paintings we see a saffron-robed monk walking along the edge of a forest or towards a distant pagoda. If you look closely, you can see a play of light and shadow. Warm golden light pierces through the darkness and shadows. This is the artist’s way of expressing optimism.
An artwork by Win Zin | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The play of colours and textures adds a hint of mystery to artist Win Zin’s works. In one of his artworks from the Buddha Heritage series, he portrays faith as a source of strength for the country’s people. The series is said to be inspired by his time as a monk at Mogok Vipassana Dhamma School. In his second series titled Reviving Tradition, percussion instruments take center stage as he celebrates the role of traditional music in the country’s socio-cultural fabric.
In the Silent Series, Than Kyaw Htay’s art depicts the realities of displacement and migration. We see people walking on foot, even as faint images of pagodas appear on the horizon. In another artwork, displaced men, women and children walk with only their minimal belongings, travelling in the hope of reaching a better and safer place. This series is the artist’s depiction of the plight of Rakhine people in transit and he interprets these journeys as a harbinger of future migration.
Portrait of a member of the Chin tribe by artist Nay Hlaing; artwork by Than Kyaw Htay | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Ivy Lin explains that both S Moe Z and Than Kyaw Htay’s works discuss the idea of hope in the face of adversity. “Than Kyaw Htay’s paintings depict migrants in gold. This shows that perhaps a brighter future awaits them.”
Artist Nay Hlaing Win also agrees with the theme of hope. His art reflects the idea of spiritual solace. In the Ethnic Series, he depicts the Chin tribes of Myanmar and their cultural heritage. He attempts to depict the lifestyle of indigenous Chin hunters in the forest.
(Voices from the Golden Land is on display at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad from August 4 to September 5)
