Burmese Artists

Burma was renamed (Union of) Myanmar by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) which has ruled the country since 1989. The generals renamed themselves as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 1997. Most foreigners however, still call the country Burma. The development within the contemporary art scene in Burma is limited at present. It is mainly concentrated in Rangoon (Yangon) and Mandalay, the two largest cities. Oil and watercolour are still the most popular media. Motifs, in the vast majority of cases are rural village life scenes and or idyllic scenes depicting Buddhist temples and pagodas. Some artists are starting to develop a more ‘modern’ style, though contemporary art is not particularly experimental in the country. When looking at Burmese contemporary art, one should keep in mind that the country has been more or less isolated from the rest of the world for over thirty years, and hence the art mostly reflects traditional values and ways of life. One characteristic feature of art education or training in Burma is the continued system of apprenticeship. Studying in the workshop of an old master is placed in high regard.

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