Key Terms: suppression, expression, participation, liberation, corruption, exploitation, awareness, action

 Past: July 30, 2020, 5 pm

FIELD SESSION 7.30.20

In conversation with Josie Browne, Chaw Ei Thein, Sai Htin Linn Htet, and Ohm Phanphiroj

Works Discussed:
Incidental Music / Areas For Action / TASK
Mobile Art Gallery & Mobile Market / On The Table
Building Bridges: Yangon
Mother
Underage

Geopolitical + Socio-historical Contexts:
Civil war & ethnic repression in Burma/Myanmar, 8888 Uprising;  Child sex trafficking in Thailand and East Asia

Discussion Questions:
Why is art so frequently a first target for censorship?
How can art transcend class and financial resources?
Is the role of borders significantly reduced by events which affect neighboring countries (especially where refugees are concerned)?

MEETING MINUTES

The second Working Group searched for hope in bleak circumstances, as participating artists explored the necessary risks of vulnerability involved in reimagining reality. The creative pursuits they shared worked to unpack grim subjects like child sex trafficking and military authoritarianism, but recognized that the only way for both humanity and art to thrive in even these oppressive environments is through subversive and revolutionary collaboration and inclusion. 

Josie Browne kicked off the conversation with a selection of correlated media investigating the subject “after hope.” First was Oliver Herring’s “Incidental Music,” a piece featuring highly spontaneous performances in a variety of settings throughout Kyoto, Japan. This was coupled with a “Colbert” segment that featured the late John Lewis crowd surfing, as well as more of Herring’s various in-situ happenings which challenged a multitude of volunteers to participate in ephemeral compositions. These events made use of the artist’s selected materials, experimenting with a hyper-democratic, process-driven performance of color and craft.

Chaw Ei Thein jumped in to continue the discussion of “giving people a part in making something happen,” which was equally relevant to hers and Htien Lin’s performance art in the streets of Burma. The two endeavored to include their community through the sharing of art supplies, to combat the otherwise hostile cultural purview of the Burmese military junta. The present regime took control following a mass uprising in 1988, and both of the artists' works frequently challenged the traditionalist realism pervading the culture that originated from it. The two conspired to produce stealthy street performances that pointed out the absence of contemporary art in the Burmese art scene entirely represented by government museums rife with censorship. Their work frequently pitted them against the military rule, and they were jailed at one point for organizing public sales of supplies and Htien’s paintings.

Sai Htin Linn Htet, who is also based in Burma, discussed his own attempts at bringing the transformative power of art to the working masses with “Building Bridges.” The project was an art space he curated in Yangon which sought to put the spotlight on emerging young artists from his home country, in light of easing political tensions (at the time). The exhibition saw the artists themselves involved in the process of planning and setup, advancing the democratic process of art as a means to renew history while giving agency to the next generation. Sai also highlighted the work of Shun Wint Aung, who produced the video entitled “Mother” as an expression of her hope that Burma’s youth will overcome what feels like an endless threat to their mother country.

Ohm Phanphiroj showcased a work of his entitled “Underage,” which investigated the prostitution of minors in Thailand through firsthand accounts. The issue is intimately connected to the displacement caused by violence in neighboring Burma, becoming widespread while remaining tragically underreported. Treading carefully so as not to be merely exploitative, Ohm’s work was meant to shine an active light on the issue. He maintains hope in the ability of his art to not only identify issues but galvanize intervention and support from NGOs as well. Ohm noted that the project was likely to be the first in a series of many – like the other issues discussed, sex trafficking threatens to be a persistent problem across East Asia for years to come in the absence of widespread change. As group discussion highlighted, however, tears and smiles often accompany each other in stride when hope is concerned. Vigilance and imagination both remain integral to the collective construction of tomorrow, and the many connections between artists across Southeast Asia seemed to be evidence of the global populist power of art.

Notes taken by Katie Bruhn
Revised by Moises De La Cruz

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