A Myanmar art showcase in Hyderabad bats for hope in times of conflict

Explore travel, spirituality, and hope in Myanmar art at Voices From The Golden Land exhibition on view at Kalakriti art gallery in Hyderabad.

Travel and spirituality are among the recurring concepts explored in Voices From The Golden Land, an exhibition of artworks by Myanmar artists on view at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad. Some of these artworks show people on foot, travelling far and wide in search of tranquillity. The paintings represent spiritual travel in the land of pagodas, and highlight the sense of displacement for those affected by conflict. Rather than present a grim picture, the artists portray the inner strength of people to steer forward. Artworks by Than Kyaw Htay, S. Moe Z, Win Zin and Nay Hlaing Win are on view, curated by Ivy Lin.

An exclusive showcase of Myanmar art is not seen often in Hyderabad. Talking about the collaboration, curator Ivy Lin reveals that she met Rekha Lahoti of Kalakriti at a conference in Singapore. “We started talking about art. We discussed how I collect and adore Myanmar art, and her gallery in Hyderabad. I expressed my wish that Burmese artworks should be seen and appreciated by more people since 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 Moe Z’s paintings, we see a monk clad in saffron robes walking on the jungle precincts or towards distant pagodas. Observe closely and the play of light and shadow comes to the fore. Warm golden light pierces through the darkness and shadows. It is the artist’s way of depicting optimism.

A 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 the source of strength for the people of the country. The series is said to be inspired by his time in monkhood at Mogok Vipassana Dhamma School. In his other series titled Reviving Traditions, percussion instruments take centre 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 on foot, even as the blurred images of the pagodas appear on the horizon. In another artwork, displaced men, women and children walk, carrying only their minimum belongings, travelling in the hope of a better and safer place. The series is the artist’s depiction of the plight of the Rakhine people in transit and he interprets these journeys as a precursor to future migrations.

Both S Moe Z and Than Kyaw Htay’s works discuss the idea of hope within adversity, Ivy Lin points out. “Than Kyaw Htay’s paintings show the migrants in gold colour. It shows that perhaps a brighter future awaits them.”