A glimpse of Kyu Kyu’s untitled wood installation (2024) reveals a profound reflection of the human form, capturing both its simplicity and complexity through intricate craftsmanship. Photo: A+ Works of Art
Four Myanmar contemporary artists take the spotlight in the group exhibition Resilience In Shadows: Art Amidst Adversity, showing at A+ Works of Art gallery in Kuala Lumpur until Sept 7.
These new works by artists Than Kway Htay, Sandar Khaing, Kyu Kyu, and Thyitar were selected by curator Kyel Sin Lin, CEO of the community-based art company Coming From Kalaw in Myanmar.
“Joshua Lim, the founder of A+, reached out to my dad, Htein Lin, who’s also an artist, back in September last year. He wanted to organise a Myanmar exhibition in Kuala Lumpur,” said Kyel, 27, who is based in Kalaw, an old British hill town in the Shan State of Myanmar.
The curation of Resilience In Shadows: Art Amidst Adversity extends beyond Myanmar’s current political climate.
“The artists’ work act as a powerful reminder of the harsh realities and struggles experienced by many and their unwavering human spirit,” she added.
The works at A+ Gallery of Art – a series of acrylic on canvas paintings and evocative wooden sculptures – reflect resilience shaped by hardship, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities of life amid turmoil.
Curator Kyel stands before Than’s 'Mapstracts' series (acrylic on canvas, 2024). Photo: Rizal Johan
“I focused on these Myanmar artists because, with many emerging talents, the Kuala Lumpur art scene might not be familiar with them yet,” said Kyel, who was in town recently to launch the show.
These artists have exhibited locally and internationally, with regional art collectors familiar with their works.
Mapping the layers
Resilience In Shadows: Art Amidst Adversity unfolds as a richly layered experience as you walk around the A+ gallery. Each piece invites you to peel back its surface, revealing deeper insights and reflections on art’s role amidst challenging times.
The sole male artist in the exhibition, 46-year-old Than from Rakhine State, west of Myanmar, used abstraction in his nine-piece series Mapstracts. He incorporated drone imagery to create a map highlighting depopulated grey areas destroyed by bombings and fires, alongside vibrant yellow areas of population.
“As this is our first overseas exhibition and collaboration, we considered who would be the right fit and who had previously explored themes related to Myanmar. That’s when I thought of Than. He created these abstract paintings, Mapstracts, for the first time, diverging from his earlier work,” explained Kyel, who holds a degree in architecture.
Kyu Kyu's 'Lost 1' (acrylic on canvas, 2024). Photo: A+ Works of Art
Interestingly, Than had created these paintings in nine groups but Kyel who put them together as one large painting for this exhibition in KL.
”We aimed to create an area map, but Than provided only grouped sections without instructions on how to display them. Although the work is essentially a map of Myanmar, he didn’t label it as such. I arranged it to reflect the current population situation in Myanmar.”
The female view
In this show, the three female artists each present their unique vision and story of their homeland.
Thyitar, 36, a multi-disciplinary and performance artist, captures the everyday struggles of Myanmar’s citizens in her paintings, including Hope. In this piece, people are depicted enclosed in bottles adrift in a rudderless sea, with a distant lighthouse symbolising a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
“The image of being trapped is contrasted with the lighthouse, symbolising hope for an end to this struggle and a brighter future ahead,” said Kyel.
A view of Thiytar’s 'Hope' paintings series (acrylic on canvas, 2023/24). Photo: A+ Works of Art
Lastly, there’s Kyu Kyu, 59, from Dawei. Her art features vibrant, cubic, and geometric shapes that, while colourful and engaging, subtly conceal the underlying tragedy.
She also creates wooden sculptures, and at this exhibition, she presents small-scale depictions of ordinary people. The title of the exhibition, Resilience In Shadows, was chosen by Kyel to reflect the enduring strength of the people living in Myanmar.
Resilience In Shadows: Art Amidst Adversity is showing at A+ Works of Art, d6 Trade Centre, Jalan Sentul in KL till Sept 7. By appointment only. Contact 018-333 3399 or email: info@aplusart.asia.
