Maria Brinch was our first international artist in residence at Myanm/art. She brought with her new views on textiles and papers, and a body of work influenced by and honoring her time spent in Myanmar.

Many thanks to Phyu Ei Thein of Sunflowers Organic Dye Weaving Studio for assisting with the weaving portion of the exhibition.

She is joined by two established artists from Myanmar – Sandar Khine and Aung Myint. More of a cooperation than a collaboration, these artists’ work is greatly admired by Maria, and she was able to visit their studios and learn more about their practice. Sandar Khine’s portraits of women taking self-portraits speaks to Maria, the curvature of the lines and introspective gaze reflected in her own work with its folds and transparency. Aung Myint’s abstract works of active red and black, along with his mother and child series, also resonate with Maria, her family life, and her pairing of different materials as complimenting aspects of her work.

Maria came to Myanmar, then Burma, for the first time almost 10 years ago. She was traveling for a few months for work, and began to cycle the veritably empty streets, weaving through neighborhoods. She saw art everywhere, but where she connected to the private lives of people living in the city was their washing, hung up in the sun to dry along alleyways and barb wire fences. She photographed these moments, and took them with her back to Norway.

She came back again to work in proximity of the artists, the city, and its sensibilities. She has spent  2 months (from January to March 2018) working at Myanm/art. We are thrilled to share the results of her hard work and dedication, her inspirations and consultations, with you.