A delighted U Win Myint Moe after receiving the K3 million first prize at the exhibition. Pic: Aye Zaw Myoe

AN annual exhibition and competition sponsored by the Tun Foundation Bank to promote Myanmar art on the international market was inaugurated in Yangon on December 15.

More than 1000 works of art were exhibited at the five-day Best Paintings of the Year event, held at the Myanmar Bankers Association headquarters in Yankin township.

The chair of the Tun Foundation Bank, U Thein Tun, said at the opening ceremony that the event’s objectives included encouraging the emergence of talented artists and helping Myanmar art to raise its profile internationally.

U Thein Tun said many Myanmar artists displayed talent and promise, but had been unable to penetrate the international market up until now because there had been no way of promoting their works overseas.

“That’s why we organised this event; we want to do what we can to promote Myanmar art,” he said.

Awards totaling K15 million were presented to 10 entries, and U Thein Tun said it was planned to offer more prize money next year.

First prize of K3 million was awarded to U Win Myint Moe from Nyaungdon, in Ayeyarwady Division, for his painting titled Hloat Shah Nay Thaw Thanzin Myah (Moving melodies).

The chairman of the Tun Foundation Bank, U Thein Tun (right), congratulates U Win Myint Moe for winning the K3 million first prize in an art competition sponsored by the bank. The annual Best Paintings of the Year competition and exhibition inaugurated by the bank is aimed at nurturing the artistic community and raising international awareness about Myanmar art. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

U Win Myint Moe said the painting had taken about a month to complete, but developing the idea for his creation had taken much longer. “This award-winning painting of mine reflects the atmosphere of Myanmar and I tried to use the impressionist style, even though I can’t say it’s a work of impressionism,” he said.

U Thant Sin, the vice-president of Myanmar Traditional Artists and Artisans Association, said at the opening ceremony that the event was one of the most significant in the long history of Myanmar art.

U Thant Sin said drawings found in a cave at Badalin in Shan State were between 7000 and 10,000 years old and Myanmar traditional art had reached its peak during the reigns of kings Anawrahta and Kyansittha in the 11th century.

He said that when photography was invented, some people had wrongly thought art would vanish. “You can’t express your deep feelings and thoughts by pressing the shutter of your camera,” U Thant Sin said.

The seven-member judging team for the exhibition included an official from the Singapore-based Regional Capacity Building Program for ASEAN Integration, which is involved in promoting cultural exchanges among the grouping’s 10 members.

Mr Thai Quang Trung, the program’s regional program coordinator, told The Myanmar Times that Myanmar art was still free from commercialisation.
“I like very much Myanmar paintings and I consider Myanmar painting as very innocent – not affected by commercialisation,” he said.

“What I’ve noticed in this exhibition is that the paintings are extremely colourful,” he said. “There is a very strong aspiration within the artistic community, strong aspiration for creativity, that to express their feelings so they reflect the society itself.”

Mr Trung said Myanmar artists were different from those in other countries because they had retained a master and disciples tradition. He cited as an example the many disciples of the famous artist, U Lun Gywe.

“This is unique in Southeast Asia. You no longer see it in the other countries,” he said. “This tradition is very precious and should be kept alive ... At the same time, keep art not under the influence of money. Art has to be under the genuine aspiration to create; to reflect its society; to reflect its values and identities.”

Mr Trung said it was planned to display some of the entries in the exhibition in Singapore and Jakarta early in 2008.