Artists

Born in 1978 in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar

Studied Under U Soe Htay, U Tun Aye, U Win Pe Myint, U Kyaw Thu Yin, U Win Tint,

U Thet Oo, U Than Kywe

1997-2000 Studied at State School of Fine Art, Yangon

2000 Studied Under Win Pe Myint

Collection

2018 Silent Moves Series, World Bank Organization (Myanmar Branch)

Artist Interview Video Link

https://vimeo.com/375647814/9cfd1ab1a9

Exhibitions

Solo Show

2004 New Treasure Art Gallery, Yangon

2006 Ladies in Colour at Azada Art Gallery, Yangon

2011 The Vital Ministry of Culture Art Gallery, Yangon

2014 Silent Sweat at River Art Gallery, Yangon

2015 Pa Oh people, Artha Art Gallery, BangKok, Thailand

2015 Silent Sweat at Sur la Sorgue, France

2016 Silent Sweat at Suvannabhumi Art Gallery, Ching Mai, Thailand

2017 Silent Moves at River Art Gallery, Yangon

2020 Silent Steps at River Art Gallery, Yangon

2020 Silent Walks at Retour de Voyage Art Gallery, L'isle Sur la Sorgue, France

Group Show

2000 Treasure Art Gallery, Yangon

2001 Welcome to Thingyan, Group Show, Bogyoke Market, Yangon

2004 Yangon International Hotel, Yangon

2004 Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards - Exhibition of Finalists, Yangon

2006 Page 2006, Group Show, Lakkanat Gallery, Yangon

2007 Photographs by Artists, Photo Show, Yangon

2007 Page 2007, Group Show, Yadanabon Art Gallery, Yangon

2008 Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition of Finalists, Yangon

2008 Truth, Beauty and Joy, Thamada Art Hall, Yangon

2008 6th Colourful Petals Art Exhibition, Yangon

2009 Sense 09 Art Show, Parkroyal Hotel, Yangon

2010 7th Colourful Petals Art Show, Yangon

2010 Friends Art Show, Two Man Show, New Treasure Art Gallery, Yangon

2010 5th Pink Window, Lokkanat Gallery, Yangon

2011 The Triumph of Impasto Art Exhibition, Dagaung Art Gallery, Yangon

2011 Myanmar National Portrait Competition 2011, FINALIST exhibition, The Strand Hotel, Yangon

2011 The Givers Group Show, Yangon, Myanmar

2011 Artist Thu Kha Memorial Show, New Treasure Art Gallery

2012 Page 2012 Art Exhibition, Lokanat Art Gallery

2012 Other Face of Nature Group Exhibition, Lokanat Art Gallery

2012 Colourful Step Art Show, Garden Home Art Gallery

2013 Northern Breeze Art show, Myanmar Artists Association Gallery, Yangon

2014 Golden Land Art Exhibition, New Idea Art Gallery, Yangon

2014 2nd Northern Breeze Art show, Myanmar Artists Association Gallery, Yangon

2015 No Rules Art Exhibition, Bikthano Gallery, Yangon

2015 3rd Nothern Breeze Art Show, Myanmar Artists Association Gallery, Yangon

2016 10/10 Anniversary Exhibitions, River Gallery, Yangon

2017 Myanmar 2050, River Gallery Artists Annual Exhibition, River Gallery, Yangon

Abroad Exhibitions

2004 Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards exhibition of finalists, Hong Kong

(Different artist name as Phyo Khant Kyaw)

2006 Singapore Art Fair 2006, Singapore

2007 Group Shows in San Francisco, Washington, New York, Princeton NJ, USA

2009 Myanmar Discovered Group Show, Hong Kong

2010 Myanmar Art & Culture, Group Show - Boston, USA

2010 New Beginning Group show, Princeton, USA

2011 Gallery Verde, Group Show, New York, USA

2011 Beyond the Boundary art show, Chiang Mai, Thailand

2011 Five Myanmar Painters art show, Kingston, USA

2011 Eye on Burma Group Show, the East Gallery, Toronto Canada

2012 Gallery Plan B, Art Exhibition, Washington, DC, USA

2012 Burma Rising, Art Exhibition, Hamptons, NY, USA

2013 From Myanmar with love Calcutta Art Club, India

2013 Wonder in the land-Group exhibition, The East Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2014 Burmese Spring at First Canadian Place Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2014 Leading Lights/New Works (Vietnam/Burma/Cambodia), ARTA gallery, Toranto, Canda

2014 Burmese Spring; at Fragrant Wood Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2014 Burma / Vietnam / Cambodia: Leading Lights,Group Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

2014 Burmese Spring; Vancouver, Canada

2015 "Daily Life In Myanmar"; two man show Sugar Bistro gallery, Taipei, Pingtung, Taiwan

2016 Art Revolution Taipei Art Fair, Taiwan

2016 MACAU Hotel Art Fair 2016, Macau, China

2017 Myanmar Rising Group Show of Young Myanmar Artists, France

2017 The Silk Road and World Civilizations, Beijing Art Biennale International, Beijing, China

2017 Group exhibition, at Sur la Sorgue, France

2018 Myanmar Rising Group Show, Netherlands

2019 La Birmanie en 2019 at Retour de Voyage Gallery, France

 

About the artist:

Than Kyaw Htay is inspired by the Pa-O people of the Shan States in the north-east of Myanmar. They are easily identifiable by the colorful turbans worn by both men and women. These paintings feature a figure or figures standing or squatting, sometimes looking slightly off-balance, which the artist says is an echo of the political instability of the country. They look out over a beautiful but empty countryside, which creates a feeling of isolation, another metaphor for the country as a whole.

The artist says he depicts the landscape in vibrant, vivid colors, because his people are longing for a brighter future as they stare into the distance. He depicts the backs of people because Myanmar has turned its back on the world, but the figures are often outlined with a thin, uneven rim of warm contrasting color, representing a sliver of hope in an otherwise grim reality.

Inspired by Van Gogh, Than Kyaw Htay gives his paintings texture and added depth by scratching a comb through the pigments, at times revealing the contrasting underpainting. This technique smoothes and integrates the tones of the figures, clothes and landscape, giving the works an added dimension and energy.