The Myanmar Photo Archive and Goethe-Institut Myanmar are pleased to announce a collaboration created to extend, enforce, and build a broader understanding of Myanmar's visual history. In the next two years, Myanmar Photo Archive and the Goethe-Institut Myanmar will give grants to artists, writers, and academics to interpret the vast collection of archival materials. The project will also work on incubators, exhibitions, and digitization stations to give meaning to personal imagery.
The Myanmar Photo Archive started its collection in 2013. It is a physical archive of photographic materials from Myanmar. The archive aimed from the start to create a comprehensive record of photographic materials and culture. Additionally, it intended to provide a historical context to the materials within the archive. The earliest images are from 1890 and range until the present decade, and more than 30.000 images and negatives have been currently preserved. The production of the widely popular book "Burmese Photographers", with an accompanying exhibition, was supported by Goethe-Institut Myanmar in 2018. Over the years, Myanmar Photo Archive has published six books with narratives from the archive. The books were locally produced and distributed in Myanmar and internationally, with award nominations at festivals and competitions. Myanmar Photo Archive also hosted book-making workshops with the Goethe-Institut Myanmar in Yangon.
We are back and active after a hiatus due to the pandemic and recent local events. The Goethe-Institut Myanmar has generously reinforced the Myanmar Photo Archive to build a richer visual archive of Myanmar's history with a special grant for a long-term project. The collaboration of Goethe-Institute Myanmar and Myanmar Photo Archive focuses on processing and expanding visual materials with various communities in cooperation with national and international artists, writers, and academics interested in cultural-historical contexts and appropriation of the archive material.
The collaboration between the Goethe-Institut Myanmar and the Myanmar Photo Archive is rooted in the intention to create access to materials for civil society, expanding discourse and attention internationally to alternative narratives about Myanmar. To these goals, the establishment of incubators, digitalization of archival holdings, alternative publishing, and exhibitions of newly creative artworks will be accomplished in the future. These activities will take place in Myanmar, accompanied by an international publication program to bring awareness to Myanmar's rich history abroad.
Fashion is universal – whether born from creativity, expression, vanity, or simply the love of color and beauty. In Myanmar, this rich sensibility comes alive every day, blending traditional attire with modern trends and unique personal styles.
Join us at the Yangon Book Plaza for a stunning exhibition that offers a glimpse into Myanmar's fashion scene, featuring a mix of studio photography, candid snapshots, and advertisements.
Exhibition Details
Title: IT’S FASHION
Venue: Yangon Book Plaza Lanmadaw Stree Yangon
Exhibition Duration: 29th November – 15th December
Join us at Café Deja Brew for a heartwarming exhibition that celebrates the beauty of social gatherings and shared memories, captured through the lens of vernacular photography. Featuring candid snapshots from personal photo albums in Yangon, this exhibition tells the story of community, friendship, and the ties that bind us.
As you sip on your favorite brew, immerse yourself in the rich narratives behind each image and experience a unique glimpse into the past.
Exhibition Details
Title: A Cup Of…
Venue: Café Deja Brew, No. 134, 37th Middle Block, Between MahaBandola & Anawratha Road, Yangon
Exhibition Duration: 29th November – 15th December
Join us for a fascinating exhibition that celebrates the golden era of Myanmar’s film industry from the 1950s to the 1970s, often referred to as the "Burmese Hollywood." This was a time when studios flourished, producing films influenced by Bollywood and Hollywood, exploring themes of romance, folklore, and social issues.
Discover the rich heritage of Myanmar's movie posters and memorabilia, featuring contributions from the Myanmar Photo Archive and other sources. Experience the aesthetics of film posters, advertisements, and fan albums that shaped a vibrant cinematic culture. Don’t miss it!
Exhibition Details
Exhibition Title: Movie Mania
Venue: Downtown Apartment, Top Floor, 201/203 Seikkantha Street, Yangon
Opening Reception: Sunday, 1st December 2024
Exhibition Dates: 1st December - 15th December 2024
Curated by AUNG Myat Htay When Spirits Flow Backwards
This exhibition explores the dynamic interplay between Myanmar's past and present, emphasizing the spiritual and cultural continuity that transcends time.
While historical periods—from monarchy to colonial times and independence to modern political uncertainties—may appear distinct, the exhibition highlights how socio-political and cultural values remain deeply interconnected. Archival images invite viewers to reflect on their identity and memories, juxtaposing them with contemporary experiences, evoking emotions such as pride, nostalgia, or haunting reflections on the past.
Drawing on John Locke's theory of memory and Michel Foucault's concept of "counter-memory," the exhibition questions the notion of history as objective truth, instead presenting memory as fluid and shaped by socio-political contexts. The photographs serve as a medium to explore how the past continues to influence the present, revealing the complex relationships between identities in the history of Myanmar.
Featured artists are Alco Htoo, Han Reality, Ko Sai, Kyaw Min Htet, Kelvin Shine Ko, May Thin Kyi, Moe Myat and Ye Kyaw Aung, were commissioned during an open call organized by the Goethe-Institut Myanmar and the Myanmar Photo Archive to reinterpret history through their contemporary artistic lenses.
Exhibition Details
Title: When Spirits Flow Backwards
Venue: Downtown Apartment Top Floor, 243-245 Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon,
Opening Reception: Friday, 6th of December
Exhibition Dates: 6th December – 22nd December
Announcing 'Archives in Focus': A Unique Exploration of Photography and History
Archives in Focus—an international gathering dedicated to photography and visual culture, co-organized by the Myanmar Photo Archive and the Goethe-Institut Myanmar with local and international partners.
'Archives in Focus' marks the culmination of a two-year collaboration between Myanmar Photo Archive and Goethe-Institut Myanmar, focused on the diverse, community-driven, and participatory reinterpretation of the archive's visual materials. This collaborative effort concludes in a three-week international program/series of events showcasing the results of the past two years of their joint work.
This unique event will take place from November 15th to December 15th, spanning two locations: Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Yangon, Myanmar.
Archives in Focus will showcase compelling narratives from Myanmar and beyond, offering profound insights into how lives have been documented and portrayed by both professional and amateur photographers in the 19th and 20th centuries. The program will feature a diverse array of stories, from colonial-era photographs to contemporary explorations of identity, culture, and displacement. In a time marked by increasing global and local divisions regarding societal governance and structure, the event invites us to rethink and reinterpret our past and present. Through a series of exhibitions, workshops, and talks, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with artists, curators, and collectives as they offer fresh perspectives on history and personal experiences.
Stay tuned for more updates and detailed information about the program. For international visitors interested in attending, please contact the Myanmar Photo Archive directly via DM.
CONTACT PRINTS: An Exploration of Myanmar’s Photographic History
We are excited to announce the debut of Archives in Focus in Chiang Mai, featuring two unique initiatives. The first, a retrospective exhibition titled Contact Prints, will be held at Some Space Gallery from November 15th to 27th. This exhibition highlights the Myanmar Photo Archive’s extensive activities and offers the Thai audience an opportunity to delve deeper into Myanmar’s rich photographic heritage.
Join us for the exhibition opening on Friday, November 15th, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Some Space Gallery, Chiang Mai.
Exhibition Details:
Exhibition Title: CONTACT PRINTS: An Exploration of Myanmar’s Photographic History
Venue: SOME SPACE Gallery, 124/4-5 Sri Poom Rd, Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Goethe-Institut Myanmar is excited to transform its Yangon space into an interactive bookshelf from November 29th to December 15th, 2024, as part of the Archives in Focus initiative. Titled Page by Page, this exhibition will celebrate the photo-book as a powerful medium of storytelling. The exhibit will feature captivating narratives from the Myanmar Photo Archive, along with works by local photographers and artists who use the photo-book format to explore both personal and historical reflections.
In addition to the exhibition, Page by Page will also offer engaging events, including a workshop on photography restoration and two special movie nights showcasing restored films. All activities will be hosted at the Goethe-Institut Myanmar Auditorium.
Exhibition & Event Details:
Exhibition Title: PAGE BY PAGE: An Interactive Photo-Book Exhibit
Venue: Goethe-Institut Myanmar / Archives in Focus HQ, Next Corner, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Nat Mauk St, Yangon
Myanmar Photo Archive at Singapore International Photo Festival
Mingalaba - in Singapore
The Myanmar Photo Archive will participate in the 9th Singapore International Photo Festival from 18th October to 24th November. The Archive will take over The Peninsular Shopping Center, a well-known meeting point for Singapore’s Myanmar community. The shopping mall also hosts two Burmese restaurants. In collaboration with various store owners, this multi-narrative exhibition will be open to the public, engaging with the unique themes of each shop—from a musical instrument supplier to Mandalay BBQ and a photo studio offering analogue photographic services.
During the festival, the newspaper RETHINK, originally produced for the exhibition at the Goethe-Institut in January, will be reprinted and distributed free of charge in both English and Burmese to visitors.
On September 1st, from 1 PM to 3 PM, a Hand Colouring Book launch event was held at Yangon Book Plaza, where visitors also had the chance to participate in a hands-on coloring activity. There was a great number of enthusiastic buyers. During the event, the creation of the Hand Colouring Book was introduced, along with its compact and adorable design. Inside the book, visitors could find intricately hand-colored photographs, and various methods and mediums for adding color onto the photos were explained. Around 20 participants took part in the workshop, where they coloured black-and-white photos. Goethe-Institut Myanmar and the Myanmar Photo Archive team expressed their gratitude to all the book buyers and workshop participants.
Hand Colouring Book & Workshop at Yangon Book Plaza
We are pleased to announce the release of the Hand Colouring Book of the Myanmar Photo Archive, now available at Yangon Book Plaza. To celebrate this launch, we are offering an exclusive Hand Colouring Workshop, presented in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Myanmar, Myanmar Photo Archive, and Yangon Book Plaza. Simply purchase your copy of the book to secure your spot in the workshop. This event is a wonderful opportunity to dive into the art of hand coloring and connect with others who share your passion for this creative practice. Join us onSeptember 1st, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Yangon Book Plaza. Stay tuned to our social media for further updates.
Date: 1st September 2024
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Venue: Yangon Book Plaza
The Myanmar Photo Archive's Rethink Art Exhibition at the Goethe-Institut Myanmar Auditorium, which ran successfully from January 15th to 30th, marked a significant milestone for us. This exhibition showcased various artworks created through an Open Call, inviting artists to reinterpret the photographic materials from the archive.
The showcased pieces included paintings, collage series, photo series, short films, and written works presented in a unique newspaper format. To enhance the experience, special talk events were held every Saturday, where Authors Min Chit Paing and Nyan Yel Yint Win, who took part in the Open Call, made a reading section of their works. Special guests like Save Myanmar Film and Frederick Lee (Taiki) shared valuable knowledge on preserving old Myanmar films and film photography.
A Digitization station was set up throughout the two weeks, offering free digitization services for old photos and photographic materials. The response was heartening, with approximately 40 daily visitors to the Myanmar Photo Archive's Rethink exhibition. The special talk show drew over 100 attendees, and nearly 300 people celebrated the exhibition at the opening ceremony.
We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended and supported the exhibition. Your presence and enthusiasm made this event a truly memorable and successful endeavour.
