Exiled Myanmar film director Na Gyi and a handful of colleagues recently launched the Artists’ Shelter in Mae Sot, Thailand to help artists in exile and hiding regain their voices, and create and share their artworks without fear of persecution.
Following the coup in February 2021, the junta’s sweeping attempt to crack down on opponents of its rule has resulted in the imprisonment of tens of thousands of individuals who joined the anti-coup and civil-disobedience movement. Thousands more fled the country.
Many artists and people who work in creative industries were detained or forced into hiding or in exile due to the junta’s persecution of them for their involvement in the anti-regime activities.
Prominent director Na Gyi was forced to go into hiding following the coup after the junta charged him and his wife Paing Phyo Thu—an academy-award winning actress and medical doctor—with incitement for their participation in the anti-coup movement. His studio in Yangon was confiscated.
The Artists’ Shelter is for artists who fled the junta’s arbitrary arrests, and lost their homes, possessions and careers in Myanmar.
While many of them seem to be secure from the direct threat of the junta, they are still vulnerable. They face economic and social hardships.
Moreover, the junta’s attempt to suppress dissent has silenced their voices, which was expressed through their art inside Myanmar.
Launched on June 7, the Artists’ Shelter has a clear mission and vision: to support and protect artists in exile and hiding, create a creative space where artists can gather to create, follow their passion and freely express themselves.
It is a place where their voices can be celebrated.
Through its programs, the Artists’ Shelter aims to raise awareness of the crisis in Myanmar.
It aims to assemble the scattered talents, skills, and expertise of artists to create a powerful force to amplify the voices of people in Myanmar so that the world can hear and learn from them. The Artists’ Shelter also supports democratic movements in Myanmar.
It is now open for membership registration for all those who work, or have worked, in the creative field. Members can register on its Facebook page.
The Irrawaddy recently talked with Director Na Gyi about the Artists’ Shelter, its plans and the power of artists in exile.
How did you start the Artists’ Shelter?
We had been planning it for a long time and launched it on [June 7]. There are artists around me who had fled. They include those from the film industry, writers, poets, painters, musicians, and other professionals who work in the [creative] industry. There are also sound engineers, and all those who record sound.
We want to help them and artists in the creative industry who have gone into hiding and exile. Right now, there are many [artists] who have switched to other careers. There are some who have to work in markets, some are content writers and [doing] other jobs which they have never done before as they struggle to make living. Some are also facing a lot of hardships [in exile]. Some are in bad health.
That’s why we started the Artists’ Shelter: to protect artists in exile and hiding and support them to continue making art. We couldn’t let our careers die as we fled.
Also, many of the artists who have been exiled from Myanmar have fans in the country, so we will also try to be a bridge reconnecting them with their fans. It will become an important message. Exiled artists can continue making art.
What does the Artists’ Shelter plan to do?
At first, we will start with providing a safe place where artists can continue their work passionately with safety and inspiration. They can [do] editing for post-production there. We will have an audio recording studio. Painters can come and draw and writers can write there.
There will be an art space and library. And also a screening room for sharing and showcasing [films]. Like, if they filmed a short film and want to show it, they can invite people and show the work there. And later, we will also have small projects.
To be honest, as we ourselves are exiled artists, we couldn’t start [at a] great extent. But now we have started and from here, we will continue gradually.
Could you tell us about plans to reconnect artists’ work with people in Myanmar?
What we are planning now is pay-per-view. Like if you watch this music video, the viewer will require to pay a dollar. Something like that. It won’t be done as the Artists’ Shelter as we are a non-profit organization.
It will be introduced through different platforms or applications. And the old content can be watched free of charge. At the moment, it will be mainly targeted to people of Myanmar [who live] abroad.
For people inside the country, we will show for free because it will be dangerous for them to pay since the junta is following bank transactions. Later we will try to do pay-per-view with the NUG Pay as well. And that will become income that will go to support the artists.
What do you want to say about the status of artists who are continuing to be involved in the anti-coup movement?
I can’t make movies under someone who is killing people. And this is the path we have chosen and it is our conviction, there is nothing to regret. We will continue until the end of this road. I also thank artist and people who are still with us for standing for the side of justice and truth.
The junta has also tried to normalize the country and used movies and music in its attempts at propaganda. What do you think about this?
It will be only a minority who do propaganda. But what they are doing mainly is normalizing. With series run by a sub company of Seventh Sense [the entertainment company led by the coup leader’s daughter], they are attempting to show that everything is back to normal and divert youths and public attention from the revolution.
We have absolutely no reason to forgive anyone who cooperates with them. From our side, we must boycott and oppose as necessary.
As revolutionary artists, can members of Artists’ Shelter become a counterweight to the junta’s propaganda?
I don’t consider it like that [to counter the junta attempts]. For me, I am an artist and I must create art. I can’t let it happen that I have to cease to create art because I’m in exile. Artists who have fled must also continue producing works of art. We must be able to survive well by continuing our work.
You have also directed short films since the coup. “Our Turn,” “Guilty as Alive” and “Stateless,” for example. Can you tell us a bit about them?
During the revolution, we have words that we want to talk and those which can give us strength. For example, “Stateless” gives the message of we will win until we don’t give up.
To continue the revolution, those kind of messages have become strength for us and through [screening of the films], we can also support our democracy movement.
Currently, these films are being screened around the world at fund raising events as well as in resistance strongholds. How do you feel about this?
This is strength for us. Because it showed that we can do it. I gained strength in this difficult time and became full confidence for future work.
What message do you have for your fans and the public?
I just want to say that we are collectively working together with all of our effort.
