Poet holds first exhibition since release

Friday, 03 September 2010 23:37 Mizzima News

Rangoon (Mizzima) – Burmese poet and artist Saw Wai, who spent more than two years in prison for his 2008 acrostic poem that concealed the message “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe”, is holding his first art show since his release.

The “3 Artists Show” at Rangoon’s Adipati Hall, which includes 33 of his paintings and works of writer Moe Thu and Saw Wai’s daughter Ei, runs until Sunday.

Having spent two years and five months in prison, Saw Wai was released in late May.

“This is my first show since I was released from prison. The inspectors came to the exhibition. They interrogated us, as is their custom. Then, my painting April, which I completed in 2003, was not allowed to be exhibited. In fact, the picture just featured a traditional water-festival scene,” Saw Wai said.

His installation, Sick World, has drawn great visitor interest. “He put a globe in a mosquito net. The globe is on an intravenous drip. There are holes in the globe. It is also in a plaster [cast]. The work could pass on the message that the world is hurting,” one visitor offered.

Other works for sale include oil and acrylic paintings.

Many artists and writers including artist Lun Kywe and writers Paragu and Khin Swe Oo have visited the show.

In Saw Wai’s acrostic poem, February 14, the first letters of each line of the poem spelt out “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe” in Burmese.