CULTURE

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Before 1988 there were Lokanat and Peacock, to name two, but since then several dozens have opened, including New Treasure, Inya, Golden Valley and Myanmar Gallery of Contemporary Art. The first art exhibition was held in Burma in 1932. Nowadays, says Chan Aye, the exhibitions appear regularly. Indeed, an exhibition of his work was scheduled to appear on February 15. Held at the Myanmar Gallery of Contemporary Art, it was to feature more than 30 paintings and 50 sculptures, with prices up to US $3,000. Chan Aye’s art is mostly abstract—some say "philosophical." Chan Aye has targeted both international and local collectors, as the Burmese adopt the unfamiliar habit of hanging paintings in their homes. Some locals can afford work as expensive as one million kyat (approximately US $1,200). But one Rangoon gallery owner adds that this is the practice of only the very rich. The owner, who declined to be named, mentioned one case in which a young tycoon and arms broker named Te Za spent five million kyat on paintings in one sitting. The allure of Burmese art, says Chan Aye, is its peculiar ideas and the creative vision of each artist. Buddhism is also key, with most works combining Buddhist philosophy with aspects of daily life. "That is the essence of Burmese art," explains Chan Aye, "and it may be an unusual taste for international collectors." But Burmese artists continue to face limited resources. Most have improved their skills by self-study, despite a scarcity of art books. Until 1993, when the government founded the University of Culture, the country had only two diploma schools of fine arts in Rangoon and Mandalay. But the schools focus on traditional art, which today’s artists disparage. Most artists believe that with freedom and sufficient resources they could develop more quickly. But as with artists everywhere, the daily suffering of those in Burma is often an impetus for creativity. "My work is inspired by the Buddhist philosophical principle ‘all life is suffering’," wrote Aye Ko of his installation, "I’m the One in the World." It deals with his notion that while technology and globalization is bringing people from all over the world closer together, Aye Ko still feels isolated. Yet, his suffering, and that of many Burmese artists like him, is now being noticed—and purchased—by art collectors worldwide.