Htein Lin is a Burmese artist who works in a variety of mediums, primarily in painting, performance, and video. He spent almost seven years as a political prisoner in a Burmese prison (1998-2004). While in prison, he developed his artistic practice, using items available to him to make paintings and monoprints on his cotton prison uniform. In recent years he has expanded his practice to include three dimensional work and video.  

Htein Lin will speak about his experience of being an artist in the constrained political environment in Burma, including his jungle exile and the six and a half years spent in prison. He will illustrate how artists in all media have sought to push the boundaries of freedom of expression in Burma, and how they are experiencing today’s transition from a military regime to greater freedom. His residency and public presentation are co-sponsored by the Quattlebaum Artist-in-Residence Endowment, Asian Studies Program, Department of Art History and the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art.

PART ONE

PART TWO

Htein Lin, an artist from Myanmar/ Burma, was the 2012 College of Charleston School of the Arts Quattlebaum Artist-in-Residence. As part of his visit, students from Professor Mary Beth Heston’s Art of China course interviewed him for a multimedia project. Lin is a painter, video and performance artist, and former political prisoner in Burma (1998-2004).

The opportunity is sponsored by the Quattlebaum Residency, the Department of Art History, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the Asian Studies Program.

Htein Lin’s Residency coincides with the US visit of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, who has finally been released from house arrest and is able to travel and accept the international awards she has been granted in recent years, including the Congressional Medal of Honor.