Impressions from the Modern Master
Contrasting Visions of Time & Place from Thailand & Myanmar

       If anyone were to ask who represents the spirit of contemporary art in Burma today the answer would probably be U Lun Gywe. Born in 1930, he has the distinction of being the last surviving artist of a generation who learned their craft at the feet of such distinguished practitioners as U San Win, U Thein Han, U Ngwe Gaing and, perhaps the greatest of them all, U Ba Nyan. As a young high school student, U Lun Gywe, went to the studios of the Burmese modern masters and later developed his talents at the Art Institute in Rangoon. He was an Instructor of the State School of Fine Arts and later Principal there and was commissioned to complete two show-rooms for the Buddhist museum at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. U Lun Gywe also studied in China in 1964 and was awarded a fellowship in art restoration to Germany in 1971.

       The primary influence in U Lun Gywe’s work, after the Burmese Masters, is the tradition of Western artists, whose work he saw first hand in Germany. In an article published in Asian Art News (July/August 2001) he noted the significance of this encounter:

       "It was the first time I had seen these original works of art. I liked them and knew that I wanted to create such paintings. But, at the same time, I knew that what I wanted to do was not exactly the same…..What I wanted to see was action and movement in the work. It was only when I saw the Impressionist paintings that I felt the greatest joy and fulfillment. I found the Expressionists interesting, but it was the Impressionists that I liked best. They came from the mind and the heart. Expressionism was all about what was happening, Impressionism was always flowing and changing."

       While his influences are definitely from the West, the subject and the tone of his art is decidedly Myanmar, reflecting his love and devotion to his homeland and its diverse communities. His inspiration is the daily life of the people, the scenery that abounds in Myanmar, and the strong presence of Buddhism as a prevailing and transcending cultural and spiritual strength.

       U Lun Gywe says that he paints from his feelings and emotions. ‘...You hold the images and the feelings and ideas that accompany them, but you do not perceive them as through a lens. You look at nature and the artist takes what is symbolic of the thing (s)he is painting. As you sit, the feeling comes through and you use your emotions to paint.’ His works have been exhibited in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Korea. In 1990 he was shown in Washington.

       His works are held in private collections across the world. In 2004 he was exhibited in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be exhibiting there again by popular demand in 2005. The Galerie L’Indochine is privileged to be hosting U Lun Gywe’s first major exhibition in New York.