Burma (Myanmar), a Southeast Asian country, has been isolated from the rest of the world since 1988, due to its non-democratic military dictatorship. Similar to its political and economic isolation, Contemporary Art in this region also does not have much western influence. Developing on its own terms, art in Burma reflects a fine balance between modernity and the country’s rich cultural heritage. The motifs and art theme in paintings are often related to the deep-rooted Marxist and Buddhist beliefs in the country. The difficult socio-political situation in the country also has a significant influence on its Contemporary Art.

Contemporary Art is not much experimental in Burma, with oil, poster color, crayons, and watercolor as the most popular mediums for paintings. A characteristic feature of art education in Burma is the system of apprenticeship, where-in students learn from their masters in workshops. The development in Contemporary Art is limited to the two major cities of Rangoon (Yangon) and Mandalay. The State School of Fine Arts opened in Yangon and Mandalay, in 1952. They are the first formal art schools of the country. The National Museum of Myanmar, established in 1952, was first platform for aspiring artists to display the nation’s art.

The Artworks & Artists

Artists U Ba Nyan and U Ngwe Gaing were the first ones to introduce Western Painting style in Burmese Art. U Lun Gywe (Yangon, 1930) is considered the greatest living master of Burmese Paintings. His style of painting is close to Impressionism, with his favorite subject being the beauty of women. ‘Dancer I & II’ (2006), ‘Bathing Beauties’ (2007), ‘Bathing Nymphs’ (2007), and ‘Nude series’ (2005) are among his famous artworks. Aung Kyaw Htet’s (Myaungmya, 1965) work mirrors basic values and rituals that encompass Buddhism and his rural upbringing. Unlike most Burmese artists, his paintings depict the faces of monks and nuns in detail, with a special series of monks in red robes. ‘Four Monks in White’ (2006), ‘Portrait of a Monk in Red’ (2008), ‘Robing at Dawn I & II’ (2009), ‘Innocence & Faith’ (2009), and ‘A Walk in the Sun’ (2009) are among his innumerable artworks.

Some other ace Burmese Modern artists are Maung Di, Khin One, Khin Maung Yln, Kyi Twe, Nyunt Myat, San Myint, Paw Oo Thet, Win Pe (Mandalay), Po Po (born 1957), Mote Thone, Soe Naing, San Min, Min Wae, Wah Nu (born 1977), MPP Ye Myint, San Naing, Paw Thame, Nyein Chan Su, The Maw Naing, Aung Myint, Aung Ko, Moe Satt, Mrat Lunn Htwann, and Nyan Lin Htet.

Conclusion

Despite the absence of affluent collectors, the close-knit contemporary artists group in Myanmar exhibits its works in the private galleries of Yangon and Mandalay with enormous zeal. Insulated from the western world, the unique ‘eastern-ness’ of their art expression has shown beauty in the social realities of its conservative society. Myanmar’s economy has seen enormous growth, since it became a member of ASEAN in 1997. With this awakening, Myanmar Modernism, in its traditional pictorial connotations, also gained recognition in international art circles. Art critics across the world consider Myanmar Contemporary Art, with its dedication to most common everyday situation, enlightening and fresh, compared to the sophisticated Western Art forms.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited.

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The Correlations
Many art forms are related to and identified with this era of artistic excellence. Marked by ‘Pluralism,’ in Contemporary Art, new forms kept originating and been added to the existing ones, through decades. Among the most popular art movements of painting identified with Contemporary Art are Abstract Expressionism, Color Field, Conceptual Art, Neo-Dadaism, Pop Art, Post-Minimalism, Body Art, Photorealism, Graffiti, Stuckism, Lyrical Abstraction, Nouveau Réalisme, Installation Art, Postmodern Art, Figurative Expressionism, and Hard-edge Painting.

The Details
Amidst the co-existence of different genres, some common characteristics mark the Contemporary Art scene. The underlying philosophy for most of these styles is unencumbered forms and expressions, as opposed to the rigid portrayals in the dimensions of space and time. The key sect of the modern day art is more expressional, such as Abstraction, Stuckism, and Color Field. Here, the painters put a heavy premium on the choice of individual colors as well as color harmony and themes. This is more so because such styles do not use a distinctive delineation of shapes as a tool for expression. The focus is on the thematic depiction of tides of sentiments associated with the subject under coverage. For instance, orange, in combination with red or yellow, is a color of optimism and vigor, whereas, it is a color of spiritualism, when mixed with earthy tones.

However, there is another school of thought, whose art is quiet representational in nature – for instance, Photorealism. Novice viewers and art-lovers often confuse Photorealist artworks with actual photographs. Photorealism is a form of painting, which is a step ahead of Realism, in that it employs a magnified photographic frame as a base work. The outcome is almost as real as a true picture. Its variant, Romantic Realism, involves a touch of paint and some manipulation of the elements in the frame to create a sync of Romanticism and Realism.

Global socio-political, economic, and cultural changes have been greatly influencing the Contemporary Art scene. From the point of view of subjects, this art form deals with the present day issues, including but not limited to societal structures, racism, global warming, human rights, supernatural, and spirituality. Therefore, rigid methodologies cease to be significant, giving way to the message and the emotional force behind the works. This Western Painting style leaves a lot of room for creativity, artistic imagination, and experimentation. Its freedom from the stereotypes makes Contemporary Art even more attractive, the world over.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com

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