Many thanks to Elaine Lin of Asia Art Archive for hosting our Digital Archiving Workshop at the newly opened Deitta Documentary Space in downtown Yangon. Elaine joined Asia Art Archive in 2012, and is now the Library and Collections Coordinator. She has participated in and overseen various archival projects, including The Chabet Archive, Salon Natasha Archive, and Kwok Mangho Frog King Archive, and has also contributed to the writing of policies and procedure manuals for AAA’s collections.
Digitizing these collections was no small feat, as we as workshop participants soon learned. It was not only a fascinating insight into why we archive and the significance of such an act, but what we choose to include and leave out, how we rediscover details through images, and how we then categorize these details into metadata, which can then be accessed by a large community.
The workshop also included a demonstration on scanning and data entry.
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
When we first began to discuss the Mobile Library Project at MARCA, there was no doubt in our minds that New Zero Art Space was an organization we would like to partner with – because they are the original archive and library in Yangon. They support arts and education, exhibitions, residency programs and international exchange all in one space. The founder Aye Ko and the innumerable volunteers and collaborators that have made their work possible inspire all over Myanmar and the world. They are the heart and soul of what art education can and should be in Myanmar.
We wanted the books of the Mobile Library to speak to New Zero’s own library, and curator Haymann Oo and Aye Ko, along with Ko Latt and Yadanar, were very happy to help us make that possible. They interpreted the Mobile Library with fresh perspective, and instead of focusing on the archival aspects of it, or the contemporaneity of the subject, they brought the focus back to the words, the books themselves, and the tradition of literature, poetry and reading in Myanmar.
Famous Myanmar poets have used the space to create live poetry performances, talks on the importance of books and knowledge, and how artists can use that knowledge to grow creatively. Poetry is an indelible part of the creative landscape of Myanmar and New Zero brought that fact to light while hosting the ML in their space.
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
The future Goethe Institut – housed in the former State School of Fine Arts (As well as General Aung San’s former headquarters) – generously supported the Mobile Library Initiative from December 1 – 15, 2014. The books and installation were installed and available for public use daily from 10-4 pm.
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
Highlights of the project included an artist talk by Po Po, the creator of the Mobile Library installation and an esteemed contemporary artist in the community. MARCA invited new students from the University of Art and Culture – Yangon to listen to Po Po speak about aesthetics, what contemporary art means, and his own fascinating practice based largely around installation and photography. It was a rare opportunity for the Myanmar students to see one of their own artists speak at length. Even our co-director, Zoncy, mentioned that in her 5 years as an artist, she has never seen Po Po speak and was happy to have the chance.
The Panel Discussion on Archive was meant to bring attention not only to archives, but also the panelists experiences working with archive through research, exhibition, and writing/publishing.
Sana started off the discussion by examining his own work and use of archive. Through his personal practice, he looks at war and memory. Memory is the archive of the Civil War in Sri Lanka and Sana isolated experiences through objects, displaying these objects in an exhibition as well as publishing a book – The Incomplete Thombu. His practice involved speaking to people, reliving and sometimes rebuilding their memories.
Hammad followed with some of the archival research and projects of Asia Art Archive, where he is Head of Research. Hammad was asking important questions: what gets written? Who are the voices? What is recognized and what is not? He described 4 separate archives including Salon Natasha, the performance art video archive of Ray Langenbach, the China Interviews of artists in the 1980s, and the India Bibliography.
Zasha Colah and Sumesh Sharma spoke toward the end of the day and shared about some very interesting projects focused on the archives of exiled Myanmar artists. Htein Lin and the prison painting series, Sitt Nyein Aye and his Myanmar archive in India, and Sawangwongse Yawnghwe, a little known exile from Shan State who grew up in a border camp, and remembers Myanmar through his family’s memories and his own recreation of events with historic proportions.
A discussion ensued addressing the issues of archiving such as focus, digitization, personal affiliations and exhibiting archive not through library or catalogue but through curated exhibitions – a way to examine the archive through history and image.
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
We were very fortunate to host multiple visitors on the week of 24-29 November. A hugely successful week of educational workshops, a panel discussion, digital archiving workshop, and visitors from Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Poland and India. Will recount each activity. Videos posted soon.
Thamotharampillai Shanaathanan (Sana) flew in from Sri Lanka. As the former host of the Mobile Library at the University of Jaffna, he was instrumental in our programming. He’s a lecturer himself, and has witnessed firsthand the interaction between the books and the students.
Day 1 of the Educational Workshop was for the Students. Originally asked to bring drawing material, the students and Sana ended up sharing opinions and observations about the books. Sana asked the students questions about the books, stating the importance of visual learning and absorbing the material as much as possible.
He then chose keywords and asked the students to spend one our in the afternoon forming groups and choosing books based on those keywords. A few worth mentioning: line, nudes, and painting.
We were also lucky to host Aung Myat Htay as a guest lecturer. Aung Myat Htay is a former student AND teacher at the NUAC and just returned from a 6 month residency in New York City. It was invaluable perspective for the students, who often commented that there are no artists in Myanmar like the ones in the Mobile Library books. Far from true, but it is so that the interaction between contemporary artists and the schools is limited. Hence the importance of Aung Myat Htay, who often works in installation, present his work and ideas.
Sana writing keywords at the lecture hall at NUAC
Students collecting our newly printed booklists
Aung Myat Htay presenting on his own journey as an artist and writer
One of our lovely volunteer translators helping match the Burmese texts with ML books
Some of the recently translated books
Day 2 was targeted toward the NUAC teachers. Sana presented on his own time as host of the Mobile Library and his own artistic practice. The teachers were extremely interested in how to use the books and shared on their experience “relaxing” in the library, finding out new modes of expression through painting. One particularly important question came from the teachers in general: how do we change our curriculum?
We very much hope these workshops helped the students and teachers at the NUAC to have high expectations for their own art educational experiences, and that the Mobile Library has inspired them to push the boundaries of learning.
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
We have had one incredible week of visitors, conversations, inspiring exchanges and a few good meals. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Educational Workshop at the National University of Art and Culture, the Panel Discussion on Archiving, and the Digital Archiving Workshop. We will be posting photos, video and more information soon. Stay tuned!
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
At the University of Art and Culture – Yangon. We were fortunate enough to have as our hosts U Myat Tun Aung, Director of Painting Department, U Thit Lun Soe, Director of Sculpture Department, and U Kyaw Oo, the Rector of the entire University. We were so honored to have an audience of so many teachers and students from all different departments. Even the Headmaster of the State School of Fine Arts brought a group of students for the morning speeches and reception.
Here’s how it went down:
– Ribbon Cutting with Nathalie Johnston (MARCA) and U Kyaw Oo (Rector – NUAC)
– Flood of students enter hall where U Kyaw Oo speaks about knowledge and skill and how one completes the other; Nathalie introduces the project and how it came to be, David (MARCA Librarian) speaks on street art and culture, and Khin Zaw Latt goes over how MARCA came into being and why the students should use the books for inspiration.
– Students and teachers enjoy food, drinks and the books! See album for an overview in images. More to come!
Mobile Library is sponsored by Foundation for the Arts Initiative and Mr. and Mrs. Serge Pun.
MARCA has received over 500 books, which we are furiously cataloging and translating short summaries, in order to create a program based around these books from Yangon to Mandalay and beyond. The program will run from November to March and so far, include the following collaborative partners:
In March 2014, we embarked on a research trip with Susanna Chung, the Head of Learning and Participation at Asia Art Archive. It was during that trip we were told that MARCA has been asked to partner with AAA in the Open Edit: Mobile Library project. Myanmar will be the third country where the Mobile Library has been implemented. The first two were Vietnam and Sri Lanka. You can read more about the previous projects here.
In keeping with the objectives of both MARCA and AAA, we decided to meet a range of professionals, both inside and outside of the arts. Journalists from PEN Myanmar, directors from private art schools, art educators from the University of Fine Arts in Yangon and Mandalay, artists, art students, school and library managers, non-government organizations, international cultural institutions, and filmmakers and musicians.
These photos are just a sampling of the amazing experiences we had meeting so many intelligent, magnanimous professionals interested in education and creativity. We are currently putting together an outline of what this Mobile Library project will aim to achieve and share it with you as we plan the programming.
MARCA | Myanmar Art Resource Center and Archive 