Ongoing Research

Topic:Generations of Myanmar Women Artists
By Daw Khin Mya Zin

       
Painting by Aye Aye Mar       Painting by Chaw Ei Thein

       
Painting by Cho Cho Aung     Painting by Khin Khin Win

The following is an excerpt from a paper presented by Daw Khin Mya Zin at the seminar “Making Connections: Mekong Networking
& Exchange, Dec 2003 at NICA (Networking
& Initiatives for Culture & the Arts), Yangon.
I am compiling and writing my research on three Generations of Myanmar Women Artists; I present here a summary of or in other words an introduction to the planned publication of a book on “Myanmar Women Artists a compilation featuring the efforts of Myanmar women artists
in contributing to the world of Myanmar art, like
a tributary of a large river.

My presentation is divided into the following subheadings:
(1) Why I compile this research
(2) Women’s role in the Myanmar society
(3) Women enthusiasts in the history of Myanmar
      art
(4) The women artists I would like to present
           (a)Why I choose them
           (b)Who they are
(5) The role of present Myanmar women artists
(6) Future prospects

1.Why I compile this research

      In our country we can say that books on the field of art are few. In the past we already had some books about doyen women literati, musicians and dancers, but not a single one about the women artists was published.
      As my aim is to present the changes occurred in the course of the history of the Myanmar art.
I have arranged my research in accord with the year a woman artist first exhibited her works of art. I hope that in one way in another,
my research will be a driving force for the budding women artists to try harder and to enhance their innovative ideas, and to give encouragement to those, who stopped the work of painting, to reenter the field. And that is the main objective of my research. In addition,
I wish the audience and readers understand
the women artists and enthusiasts in their quarters.

2. Women's role in the Myanmar society

      We have learned that women were included in the panel of judges during the Bagan era, and there emerged in Myanmar the personalities like Queen Miphayasaw, renowned for her intellectual ability, and Empress Shin Saw Pu of Hanthawady. Furthermore, ancient Myanmar queens like Nanmadaw Mei Nu, Hsinphyuma Shin and Suphaya Latt were so powerful in the court, during the Konboung era. In addition, women literati have emerged throughout the successive eras. So, the lives of Myanmar women cannot be said under the oppression or humiliation.
      On the other hand there is a saying which goes "Serve thy son as his slave and respect
and rely on thy husband". We cannot deny the fact that a father’s role was greater in a family during my childhood days, as a husband duty was to earn income for his family, while the duty of a wife was to look after the children. But in Myanmar society, a married life is bound with mutual love and understanding between the husband and the wife as if they are rowing and steering a boat in harmony and unison.
      Nowadays, every couple has to share the duty of earning money and looking after the family. But here in Myanmar, there are many women who discontinued painting after they got married, despite their strong enthusiasm.But those women who left the field not because of their husbands demand, but because of their own desire to look after the children and to earn money for family.

(3)Women enthusiasts in the history of                  Myanmar Art

      It is said that the art of painting began in Myanmar in the Pyadalin Cave in Ywangan Township, Taunggyi District , over 5000 years ago.
      We presume that the art of painting existed in Phyu era, as musical instruments were painted with colours during the period. Murals can be found at the temples and pagodas of Bagan era. As the murals were concerned only with religious subjects, we presume that women did not participate in drawing the pictures. But women took part in the lacquerware industry during the time.
      In addition to murals, the treatises, court ceremonies and utensils were recorded in
pictures during the Konbung period. But not a single record says that there were women artists during the time. However, women were skillful in making lacquerware and embroidery.During the colonial era, the style of Myanmar Art changed from traditional way of drawing religious pictures to adopting the European style of painting. Myanmars began to draw natural scenes, images of man and still pictures that are not concerned with religion.
      In 1913, Professor Watt founded the Burma Art Club. The Club opened a series of courses, and some Myanmar women of the upper class were included as trainees. A Myanmar couple, Commissioner U Hla Aung and Daw Mya May, made arrangements for Mr Watt and his young art pupils to stay at their residence. Famous Myanmar artists of their time including U Ba Nyan and U San Win were included as young trainees. Daw Mya May was later called the mother of Myanmar artists as the couple permitted
Mr Watt to conduct art courses at the Boys Buddhist School. The school was owned by the couple.
      In roundabout 1930, U Ba Nyan and
U Tha Tun ( Architect ) returned from England
and continued to open art classes. U Ba Nyan conducted art courses at his house, and also
at the BOC College in the Yangon University Campus. Some Myanmar women attended the classes.
      Three women art enthusiasts attended the Art and Sculpture School that was opened on April 1939 during the pre-World War II period.
In 1944 during war, the school was upgraded
to an institute, and the courses continued, despite the War that had already entered Myanmar. Two Myanmar women, Ma Khin Nan Nwe and Ma Than Khin were included as the students of the institute.
      The State Schools of Art were opened
in Yangon and Mandalay in 1952 and 1953 respectively. The schools conduced courses
on art, sculpture, music and dance. The Yangon School of Art and Sculpture was opened on Komin Kochin Road in 1967. The schools were
the first to turn out women artists.The works of the two students of Yangon School of Art and Sculpture, Ma Tin Mi and Ma Khin Than Nwe,
were displayed at the second Photo, Art and Sculpture Exhibition in 1954. Ma Tin Mi's work was a picture of a group of men taking part in the Myanmar Traditional Water Festival in a gentle and polite manner, and Ma Khin Than Nwe displayed her painting named "The Battle";.
      The paintings of Daw May May Ohn and Miss M Akenia were displayed at the fifth Sarpay Beikman Art Exhibition in 1961. The first Sarpay Beikman Art Exhibition was held in 1957.The Art and Sculputure Council was founded in 1963, and the Council began to organize art exhibition in 1965-66. Ameatur women artists started to display their works at the annual exhibition in 1966-67.
      Amateur women artists from Upper Myanmar took part in the art exhibition sponsored by the
Art and Sculpture Council at City Hall in Manadalay in 1971. Ameteur women artists from various universities in Yangon participated in the Myanmar Literacy Movement Exhibition making the National Literacy Day in 1973.
      The first all women art exhibition is
"Ar-yaung-thit Art Exhibition"(New Colour).
The work of women artists: Daw May Ba, Daw Khin Khin Aye, Daw Thin Thin, Daw Nwe NweYi, Daw Mya Yin Shu, Daw Myint Khaing and Daw Mya Mya Win were displayed at the exhibition.It was in the years 1969-70 that women started to hold collective art exhibitions together with their
male counterparts. In addition, they began to organize solo as well as art exhibitions.

(4)The women artists I would like to present

      The women artists that I have compiled my research on are:
(1) Daw May Ba (2) Daw Nwe NweYi
(3) Daw Myint Khaing (4) Ma Thanegi
(5) Khin Swe Win (6) Aye Aye Mar
(7) Chaw Ei Thein (8) Cho Cho Aung
(9) Phyu Mon (10) Daw Khin Khin Win
(11) Nan Nan (12) Myint Myint Win
(13) Sandar Khaing (14) Moe Chah
(15 ) Zon Ei Phyu (16) Wai Mar (17) Sandy.

Enquiries on Daw Khin Mya Zin's research can be directed to her at
Daw Khin Mya Zin ( Htay Htay Myint)
9(A), Zizawar Street, Pauk kun,
Mingaladon Township,Yangon,Myanmar.
E-mail: gangaw1@walla.com

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