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The Power of Authentic Art Creation and Hopes for Contemporary Art in Myanmar
Written by Cho Zaw @momentsfromone
"A personal reflection on truth and struggle of Myanmar contemporary art scene, in search of sincerity, resilience, and creative light in uncertain times."
Violet Dream by Artist - Morris John, (30" × 36") Medium - Oil on Canvas
The Power of Authentic Art Creation
The power of authentic art creation is immense. In a fleeting moment, it can profoundly influence the viewer's heart and mind. The main source of authentic art is the artist's emotions, flowing without restraint from their heart. The artist and their creation are intertwined, like a world shared only by two.
Through their creations, artists reveal their inner world, and viewers are immediately and deeply affected by it. This immediate connection is fundamental. (In my view, this is also the essence of Contemporary Art, it is the inclusion of a certain degree of current events and feelings as a source that makes it "contemporary.")
Vincent van Gogh once said,
"I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." He meant that every brushstroke on his canvas was a piece of his heart and soul.
In Chapter 5 of his book What is Art? Leo Tolstoy wrote,
"Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with him who produced, or is producing, the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously, or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression."
Tolstoy explained that only authentic emotional experiences can lead to magnificent and powerful art, and this power can transmit feelings from one person to another.
As a viewer, I am captivated by this very essence. I deeply cherish and value any artwork in our country that is filled with the genuine voice of the heart. The private worlds of these local and international artists who create such powerful works are astonishing. Their artistic lives, emotional journeys, and the evolution of their art are fascinating.
The Authenticity of Contemporary Art and its Survival in a Shifting Nation
Since around 2023, I have been studying and documenting unique contemporary artists in Myanmar. I have visited most of the physical art exhibitions held in Yangon in 2024 and 2025 and have also been keenly following the lives and updates of artists through their online media.
In a country currently facing unpredictable and rapidly changing conditions, most local contemporary artists and their creations are struggling to survive for the sake of authentic art. For many, survival means just staying alive, while their spirits might be dying.
While the conditions and historical shifts of their homeland provide a rich source of raw material for their art, expressing it can be incredibly difficult.
However, a careful look reveals that a certain degree of genuine contemporary artistic vision is thriving among artists of all ages, regions, and communities within the country. Artists often incorporate their daily lives, feelings, and experiences into their work through their unique perspectives. This makes me wonder if various forms of contemporary art are emerging, different from the international standard but rooted in local conditions.
A contemporary artwork could be anything from a strong or faint color, an empty space, or chaotic, fleeting, and non-representational creations to even a single drop of paint.
"There is a space (a negative space) beyond what we can depict, beyond what we can say," said local contemporary installation artist and writer Ke' Su Thar (conditional art) about his work "EREWHON" at the GONE WITH - LIVES OF LIFE installation art exhibition in Yangon in August 2025. He explained the meaning of his work,
"In 'EREWHON,' when I realized that nature was intellectually telling me to be silent, I didn't do or seek anything. I just silenced myself intellectually for a moment. This is how I arrived at a place of nothingness. - K, 28 Aug 2025."
The taste of unhappiness and the faint light of hope can be for anything: for life, for a beloved homeland, for family, for friends, or for nature itself. I believe that these forms of artistic expression, such as writing a poem or any other daily outpouring, are the naturally emerging contemporary art concepts of humans living and surviving in our fast-changing country.
The more dense and profound it is, the more fragile and difficult to understand it becomes. This is because a contemporary art creation is wrapped in the conditions of our time, where it's hard to fully reflect emotions that are as difficult as risking one's life. For example, the current contemporary creations of artist Min Zaw have noticeably changed with the times. The painful emotions within the artist are powerfully transmitted to the viewer without a single word, purely through the art.
Hearts that cannot be openly expressed must be moving fragilely and brokenly. It is something that moves away from conceptual and storytelling definitions. The feelings and sources that emerge from a place of difficulty and a desire for freedom are likely the powerful voices for genuine contemporary art among local artists.
Left: Artist Min Zaw’s new work on canvas. Right: EREWHON Installation art work, by Contemporary Artist Ke' Su Thar @ GONE WITH ( LIVES OF LIFE ) by FOUR BLIND MEN exibition at Yangon , August 2025. Links : ChoZaw Art Post for EREWHON https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16PMaWmhuA/
Emerging Young Artists
We are seeing a growing number of young, new-generation artists in Myanmar. They tend to be self-taught and prioritize free thought, and it seems they are still struggling to find and create art from a place of genuine emotion. They are passionate about art that focuses on feelings and life experiences, and they struggle to survive between their own spirits and the difficulties and constraints of their era. I hope that the creative power of these young artists, who use emotional resources born from the heart to shake the hearts of their viewers, will continue to grow.
For example, a young artist from Yangon named Ruby Reverie is unique with her sophisticated ideas and rare artistic style. She creates excellent pop surrealist expression illustrations. I believe her works will become famous in the future. We should value and honor the power of these young artists who can create with confidence, with their art in sync with their souls.
Artworks by Ruby Reverie (Yangon), Surreal Pop illustrations. https://www.facebook.com/share/1BBtXw4gmk/
The World of Artist Morris John
I believe that artist Morris John is a young person who is currently creating powerful, authentic contemporary art in the country. This talented 21-year-old artist lives in Mandalay. He is not only a brilliant contemporary artist but also a passionate writer and a senior editor for the Yeik Chauk Art Collective. He can be considered a multidisciplinary artist. Through his paintings and writings, his spirit flows into the hearts of his viewers. His creations transcend mere ideas and become a powerful flow of genuine artistic feeling.
Recent painting of Morris John, Oil and Acrylic on canvas, size variable.
Morris said, "I feel that something that can describe my experience most closely is authentic." He sees these moments as the foundation of the genuine art that leaks from his heart.
He added, "For me, the most authentic thing is writing a letter. Writing is a way of carefully thinking and explaining my feelings. (It's not about writing poems or novels, but about writing down things you want to tell someone. You also get to see how much you can tell them. What comes out is not a poem but a letter.)"
Everything he creates is more profound than his age suggests. This young artist carries a huge bag filled with big feelings, thoughts, and so many things he wants to tell the world. His artistic journey is captivating.
Morris said,
"At the end of 2023, my mom had a motorcycle accident and couldn't get up, so I had to go to the market. There, I started to notice the movements in the market. I started drawing things related to the market. I believe the market can represent an era. That's when I started a short story and a painting called 'Young People Disappeared in the Market.' Later, I continued by painting 'Lots of Markets.'
These paintings, as he described them, are creations that can be judged as a genuine taste of contemporary art emerging in our current era.
He expresses the things he wants to pour out through conceptual art, abstract expressionist art, and by weaving words into stories and essays.
"I ride my bike early in the morning and walk in the evening at sunset. The views are more beautiful at these times. Lately, a new sight has been added: the faint lights that appear when the power is out. The warm colors of candlelight. Some things have changed a bit recently. The things I doodled and thought about when I was bored at school have also become paintings. As someone living in this era, I have no choice but to think about this era, so something that talks about it naturally emerges," he said.
About the paintings he would exhibit at one of his shows, he said,
"When you say 'Mandalay,' it's always the same cycle of the moat and Mandalay Hill. Even though the moat and the hill are famous landmarks, they are not part of most people's daily lives. I only pass by the moat when I go to a gallery at the foot of the hill. There are too many traffic police by the moat, and it's not safe after dark. I haven't been up Mandalay Hill in years. They are like two things that are irrelevant to me. The Mandalay I want to show is the Mandalay I live through—the Mandalay in my environment that I see in my daily life."
This is how he describes the flow of his emotions into his creations.
Morris John‘s Artwork and essay, “The young people in the market have disappeared (they don't come anymore) edited: In the city.” Size - 24" × 30", Medium - Oil on Canvas. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CHRp3yyxN/
Morris is brave in his artistic creation. He allows the feeling of a screaming outburst from the tightness of his inexpressible emotions to flow through a silent, shocking, and dream-like movement. He reveals his soul and life by blending both conceptual and expressive tastes, not letting either die out. It seems to be his ambition as both an artist and a writer to handle the tension between these two, so that the concept doesn't kill the expression and the expression doesn't lose the concept. I think this is Morris's great intention, to create and express such a difficult and sharp feeling.
Sometimes, the current contemporary art concepts and even words seem insufficient to fully express Morris's huge expressive concepts. That's why I feel he is still searching. The world of art he envisions must be powerful and vast.
"I like the small human figures I usually draw. The human figures that came from drawing outdoors represent the ever-confused feelings of people, so I always include those figures. Later, what I tried to do was to re-imagine my writings. My writings are always connected to some image or symbol. Turning this into a visual is exciting. (Example - Abnormal Dreams Exhibition 2023)," said Morris.
"As long as I'm alive, I will be able to create art as much as I can with wisdom. The desire to continue to tell the stories I want to tell and the desire to live freely are the main forces that allow me to continue creating art," he said.
In accordance with his words, young contemporary artist Morris John is bravely moving forward, struggling for his artistic creations. His private world must be filled with precious works. In the future, art lovers who are madly passionate about Morris's authentic creations will be waiting for him. The world of Morris John is just beginning.
As for me, I want to continue this journey with other powerful artists like Morris John. It is also essential for more open-minded local art communities to emerge and accept and support these creators.
The Need for Big Hearts to Accept Genuine Art
Who decides if an art creation is authentic? Standards can always change with time. The most important thing is the authenticity of the fleeting moment of emotion that the artist captures amid the constant change and movement. The artist's mind can change, and their creations will change with it. This is even more so in a country with a situation like ours. You must not lose sight of this change for genuine, soulful works to emerge. The very nature of art is to change, and fixed standards blur authenticity.
While the artist's authenticity is key, art curators, critics, visual experts, audiences, collectors, museums, galleries, cultural communities, and the art market all have a significant impact on the value of authentic art.
Within Myanmar's art and artist culture, some contemporary art communities welcome change. There are also artists and creations from various other fields. Due to the different periods and regions they have struggled to survive in, we find many different art communities with varying ideas, beliefs, and values. The level of acceptance for the movement and change in art types and concepts differs.
Some may have had powerful and authentic creations in the past but remain stuck there, forgetting to acknowledge the changes in their own souls. They are afraid. They have blocked their own hearts for centuries, making it difficult to open up and express themselves. They pretend not to see the new changes.
To broaden their minds and increase their knowledge about art, they need access to art magazines, updated articles, and a culture of art criticism, all of which have always been rare in Myanmar and are almost non-existent now. While the rise of internet culture allows us to see the state of international art creation, there is a lack of widespread digital art magazine platforms in Myanmar with abundant information written in an easy-to-understand Burmese language. This leads to a weak flow of knowledge and understanding of changing contemporary art.
There are almost no art schools in Myanmar that offer international-standard education. The systematic sharing and dissemination of knowledge about the past, present, and future changes of art are still very weak.
A narrow-minded view on openly accepting the reality and change of art creation between senior and junior artists in Myanmar makes genuine works rare and scarce. This has a significant long-term impact on the audience. Local art lovers can no longer distinguish between genuine and fake art, and they are being taught to choose art based on its monetary value. This is a great loss for both the artists and the art lovers.
With a heart full of metta, I hope that more local art communities, art lovers, art collectors, and art galleries will emerge who can generously understand and accept the changing flow of genuine contemporary art.
Local Galleries and Art Spaces
Amidst the changing conditions, all local art communities are fortunately still continuing their journey. Overall, it seems that the main goal is just to survive, not necessarily to focus on the authenticity of art.
We see some senior artists who have established and stable art communities and live a successful artistic life, while others, due to their immense passion for art, continue to create and struggle.
Galleries, exhibitions, and organizers provide artists with opportunities to survive. Galleries and exhibitions are the only practical opportunities for artists to physically display their creations. For an audience like me, they are also a crucial place. Art can only be fully experienced when we see the details of the brushstrokes, the lines, and the color intensity with our own eyes, allowing the feeling to flow from our sight to our hearts. No matter how advanced technology becomes, you can't get the full artistic experience from a picture of a painting on a digital screen.
My hometown of Yangon has the most galleries, but there are also some in Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, and Kalaw. We have seen new galleries, art curators, and collectors emerge in Myanmar in 2024 and 2025 and beyond. As the number of new galleries increases, so does the number of regular exhibitions. The concepts and objectives of these galleries and exhibitions vary.
Some new galleries, such as BRICK STUDIO and GOOD MOOD GALLERY, are different from the old ones. They specifically showcase the creations of young, contemporary artists and other unique artworks.
Some galleries, like MOTHER & CHILD ART GALLERY, MULA ART GALLERY, COLLECTOR ART GALLERY, LOKANAT GALLERIES, NEW ZERO ART SCHOOL, and EAST VINE ART GALLERY, regularly hold solo and group exhibitions and give young, junior artists who are fresh out of art school a chance to exhibit their work.
Some galleries are for local collectors. They prioritize exhibitions where collectors can show their collections. They also hold collection shows of legendary artists that collectors like. Examples include MYANMA AHLA ART GALLERY, AYA SOMPO ART, OHMAR GALLERY, and the GALLERY DOVES.
There are also some art institutes and project spaces supported by international organizations, such as the GOETHE INSTITUTE, SOCA, and IMoCA.
Some galleries, like NAWADAY THARLAR GALLERY, SPACE 31, Myanm/art, and KALASA ART SPACE, are known for uniquely gathering and showcasing new and innovative forms of art.
A new gallery named ATTRIBUTIVE GALLERY, opened by a famous bookstore, has recently emerged. Its unique feature is that it constantly holds exhibitions of commercial art forms that were previously rare to see in local galleries, such as cover art, cartoons, and illustrations. I think this is an excellent presentation.
There are also private art galleries opened by successful artists themselves. Most galleries also have their own online identity within the online art community. There are also many online art galleries that operate and struggle within the online culture without a physical space. As a result of online culture, fake paintings of famous artists are often made and sold.
Hopeful Dreams for Art in a Shifting Nation
Regardless, it seems that artists, galleries, and exhibition organizers are struggling to survive in the unpredictable and changing conditions of Myanmar. For me, I respect and love all the artists who continue to create art, whether for survival or because they simply cannot stop. I think it is a blessing that they haven't stopped.
We should also be grateful that galleries and curators are still creating exhibitions. The fact that we still get to see the works of artists who haven't given up is a blessing or a reason to live each day. The future is invisible. For now, we must try our best to survive. As artist Morris John said, as long as we're alive, we have to keep creating art as much as we can. This can be a reason to continue the journey. Even though the light of hope is dim, we can definitely try one step at a time.
As an art audience, my personal art dream world is full of future visions. I hope that international-standard art schools for painting, sculpture, and music will emerge in our country. I want to see more art competitions, art auctions, auction halls, museums, and meaningful art magazines (weekly or monthly), online digital platforms, art writers, bloggers, and art critics. Above all, I want to see the art of our beloved local artists achieve greater success and a higher standard in international museums, exhibitions, and galleries.
Finally, and most importantly, I always pray that the local audience will be able to have a heart that loves and values art and a peaceful and comfortable daily life with personal time to happily enjoy art. I know this sounds like a dream, but I still believe it will come true.
2025
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References -
1.“ What is Art ?” By Leo Tolstoy
Book link: Internet Archive (PDF version):
https://archive.org/download/whatisart00tolsuoft/whatisart00tolsuoft.pdf
2. "What Is Art?"by Leo Tolstoy
(excerpts discussing questions )
This page maintained by Julie Van Camp, Professor of Philosophy, California State University, Long Beach.
https://home.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/361r14.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
To reference social media links for the Galleries and Art Spaces that are mentioned in the above article.
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