THE BAR Vol.9 Exhibition "Healing and Loving"
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The Backers Foundation and AIT residence programme vol.9
"Healing and Loving" New works by Chaw Ei Thein (Myanmar/Burma) and Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar (Sri Lanka)
Saturday, July 9 through Saturday, July 23 at YAMAMOTO GENDAI (Shirokane-Takanawa, Tokyo)
Opening Reception: 6pm - 8pm on Saturday, July 9
The BAR vol. 9 Exhibition 'Healing and Loving' brochure designed by Yasutaka Fukuoka
[Top] Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar "Richness", 2015, Nail Drawing on tracing paper
[Bottom] Chaw Ei Thein "What a wonderful world #6", 2015, Acrylic painting on camouflage fabric
Press release Download（PDF / 500KB)
The exhibition marks the 9th time that The Backers Foundation and AIT have partnered on their joint residency programme and will present works by two women artists, Chaw Ei Thein from Myanmar/Burma and Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar from Sri Lanka.
Chaw Ei Thein (born in Myanmar/Burma, 1969) has been a prominent artist working in Myanmar, also known as Burma for many years, creating paintings, sculptures and provocative public performances which comment on the situation of women's experiences in a situation of brutal oppression and dictatorship. Chaw Ei Thein is currently in exile in New York and was unable to return to her country until the recent democratic elections in Myanmar/Burma.
Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar (born in Sri Lanka, 1987) is an emerging artist based in the Northern Sri Lankan city of Jaffna, which experienced fierce fighting during the civil war. The loss of family members and home forms a powerful ground for her works which largely take the form of paper based drawings and prints. She says: "Dots make Lines, Lines make Diagrams, Lines also show the direction of my life, my past, my dreams, my selection, my losses and gains".
Although both artists make works rooted in experiences and memories related to war, loss and insecurity it is also true to say that their artistic expressions are gestures for reconciliation and love for all people. They express powerful commitments to the experiences of women and mothers, engaging deeply with materials.
The BAR vol.9 exhibition, "Healing and Loving" will show a mix of older works with new works made in Tokyo including camouflage based paintings and painted found wood pieces by Chaw Ei Thein and almost invisible white nail drawings and new sculptural pieces by Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar.
We look forward to your attendance at this special exhibition.
The BAR (The Backers Foundation and AIT Residence Programme) vol. 9
New works by Chaw Ei Thein (Myanmar/Burma) and Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar (Sri Lanka)
"Healing and Loving"
YAMAMOTO GENDAI, 3F, 3-1-15 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Saturday, July 9 - Saturday July 23, 2016 / Free Admission
Open daily from 11am - 7pm / Closed on Sunday, Monday and National holidays
Organised by Arts Initiative Tokyo (AIT)
Co-organized by The Backers Foundation
Supported by YAMAMOTO GENDAI and LOKO GALLERY
Opening Reception from 6pm - 8pm on Saturday, July 9 (7pm- Performance by Chaw Ei Thein)
Artist Talk will be held during the exhibition period. (To be announced)
[ Artist Information ]
Chaw Ei Thein (born in Myanmar/Burma, 1969)
Chaw Ei Thein was born in Myanmar/Burma and currently based in New York. Her Artistic recognition started at an early age through numerous international art awards that she has received. With her father, Artist Maung Maung Thein (Pathein), as her art teacher and a mentor, Chaw Ei's artistic practice has developed in diverse ways, becoming a highly regarded painter and performance artist. Her international career is highly profiled as she candidly portrays the contradictions and conflicts of her socio-political environment. Her artworks are primarily the interpretation of her personal experience over how she has struggled with the lack of freedom of speech and the impact of social transformation.
Selected Exhibitions:
・2008 "Wonder, Singapore Biennale 2008" (Singapore)
・2010 "Stories Out of Burma" (Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand)
・2011 "ARTLIVE2011" (CATM Chelsea Gallery, New York, USA)
・2013 "Works on Paper 2013: Japan-U.S. Art Exchange Exhibition" (Ishikawa and Tokyo, Japan)
・2015 "My Country, Asia Week New York" (Shalini Ganandra Fine Art, New York, USA)
・2015 "Building Histories" (Goethe Institute, Rangoon, Myanmar/Burma)
Performance by Chaw Ei Thein, 2012, Rapid Pulse International Performance Art Festival, Chicago USA [reference image]
"Bodhi Budha" , 2015, Acrylic on fibre glass, 304mm×152mm×419mm [reference image]
"We are in Burma" Performance, 2004 [reference image]
Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar (born in Sri Lanka, 1987)
Krishnapriya Tharmakrishnar lives and works in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Tharmakrishnar's practice traces the losses of those she has missed in her past, and also acts as reminders for forgotten memories and a sense of self. She works mainly with drawing, painting, collage and drawing using nails pressed on paper and board without any distinctive colour. Many dots and lines outline her individuality and identity from particular times of her life such as childhood, emphasizing an inner-heart empathy.
Selected Exhibitions:
・2013 "Batach 2009" Group Exhibition (University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka)
・2013 "Artifacts from Jaffna" Group Exhibition conducted by Asia Art Archive (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
・2014 "Drawing Exhibition" Group Exhibition (University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka)
・2015 "Seven Conversation" Group Exhibition (Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka)
・2015 "Truth to Truth" Group Exhibition (JDA Perera Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka)
"My Birth", 2015, Drawing on paper, ink [reference image]
"Artifacts from Jaffna" , 2013, Nail Drawing on paper, carbon paper
About Backers Foundation
The Backers Foundation is a private group of patrons from the business world who first joined together in 1994 to provide support for the Japan Animal Welfare Society. Since then, the 60 members have funded a variety of organisations. They also participate in self-organised committees set up for projects to which they volunteer their personal time under the motto of enjoying the good things. One of these efforts is a terakoya, or after-hours school for children, that the foundation has operated since 2005. Through the BAR (Backers and AIT Residence Programme) series, 16 artists, 7 curators and 2 editors have been invited from countries including the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Afghanistan, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Argentina, India, Kenya, Morocco, Indonesia, Cambodia.
Further Information
Press Enquiries
YAMAMOTO GENDAI
Tel: 03-6383-0626 / i@yamamotogendai.org
Backers Foundation/Artist-in-Residence Enquiries
Ms. Yoda and Mr. Tokairin at Arts Initiative Tokyo
Tel: 03-5489-7277 / otoiawase@a-i-t.net
2016-6- 2
