Myanmar land of golden pagodas

KARACHI: People, art critics, art lovers who want to know about Myanmar, now have an opportunity to get an idea by paying a visit to VM Art Gallery, where Shireen Niazi's collection, 'The Land of Golden Pagodas Myanmar' is on display.
It is pertinent to mention here that Shireen Niazi is the President of Pakistan-Myanmar Friendship Association. Burma, or Republic of Union of Myanmar, often shortened to Myanmar, is a state in Southeast Asia bordered by China, Thailand, India, Laos and Bangladesh.
More than 60 paintings as well as wooden art pieces are on display, enough to present views of different lives in Myanmar. The pictures depict the particular Buddhist costumes as well as their temples.
One of the wooden art piece made by U San Lwin 'Princess of Bagan', is beautifully cut and trimmed. Another wooden carving by the same artist, 'Dragons That Guard the Pagodas', depicts the anatomy and taxonomy of dragons. The most beautiful thing about both art pieces is the finishing. The artist has used scraping and sanding techniques brilliantly to bring out the fluidity of the natural material.
The myriad art pieces all have a story to relate to the viewer. 
U Moe Htat Kyaw's painting 'A journey in bullock-cart' portrays some villagers, who along their bull cart loaded with dry grass are moving under a shade of trees. Kyaw used dark and vibrant colours in the painting.
On the other hand, paintings by Saya U Soe Than focus on Buddhist monks. 'Pongyi's collecting alms' shows a woman giving food to pongyis - Burmese word for Buddhist priests. They are in their particular robes, vibrantly painted in maroon and reds. An overwhelming majority of Burmese monks wear maroon robes, unlike in neighbouring countries like Thailand, Laos and Sri Lanka, where monks commonly wear saffron robes.
In Myanmar, pongyi (priests) in their maroon robes, often walk around holding traditional umbrellas handmade from natural materials like teak, bamboo and cotton. Artist U Zaw Win has beautifully captured one such scene in 'Entrance to Angkor Wat'. In the painting, a lone monk is at the entrance of the Angkor Wat temple in Myanmar, umbrella in hand, attired in the particular maroon robe, he stands at the grand entrance, as three sombre looking ancestors look on. The tiny monk in maroon breaks the painting's almost monochromatic theme in green and the colour of sandstone.
All in all, the collection is a delight, and as Rudyard Kipling wrote, "It is quite unlike any place you know about."
Talking to Daily Times, VM Director Rifat Alvi spoke about Shireen's collection, and said, "The collection is basically the captured views of natural beauty, landscapes and others. Apart from the exquisite woodwork made from Burmese Teak depicting South Asian and Southeast Asian mythology."
In recent years, Burma has been very much in the news, and this show provides an opportunity to those who seek more information.
The exhibition will continue until January 30.

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