• Burmese
Saturday, December 9, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
27 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Respected Currency Designer U Aye Myint Dies Aged 87

by Zarni Mann
October 4, 2017
in News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Veteran designer U Aye Myint at the opening of his exhibition in Mandalay, February 2016.

Veteran designer U Aye Myint at the opening of his exhibition in Mandalay, February 2016.

6.8k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

MANDALAY – Veteran designer U Aye Myint died at his home in Amarapura, Mandalay Region on Tuesday evening after suffering from heart disease for many years. He was 87.

“He was sick because of his poor heart, and it was like he could not stand it anymore,” a member of his family told The Irrawaddy.

RelatedPosts

UK Hits Myanmar Border Guard Force Colonel, Two Others, With Sanctions

UK Hits Myanmar Border Guard Force Colonel, Two Others, With Sanctions

December 9, 2023
635
Desperation Rises for Residents Trapped in Villages in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State

Desperation Rises for Residents Trapped in Villages in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State

December 9, 2023
296
Thailand, Myanmar to Form Joint Task Force to Cope With War Refugees

Thailand, Myanmar to Form Joint Task Force to Cope With War Refugees

December 9, 2023
413

Born in 1930, U Aye Myint took an early interest in the floral patterns carved into wooden buildings in the ancient capital of Innwa in Mandalay Region and in Sagaing Region and was inspired to become skilled in traditional Myanmar design.

He learnt his craft from veteran Myanmar artists including U Kywe Lay and U Khin Maung (Bank) and began his career in 1954.

In 1970 he was asked by military junta leader Gen. Ne Win to travel to Japan, Germany, and Britain to learn the art and technology of designing currency.

Working at Wazi in Magwe Region, he designed Myanmar currency notes and coins—which were printed with help from German technologies—as well as lottery tickets and stamps.

His designs for the five and 10 kyat notes became famous among the people, especially as they featured the face of independence hero Gen. Aung San.

After a number of years, however, he was forced to retire as Myanmar’s ruling generals became suspicious of him and accused him of political activism.

“He told us that one of his design failures, and one of the most memorable points of his life as a currency designer, was that the cluster of toddy palm fruits on the five-kyat note faced upward rather than downwards,” said one of his students and disciples Tampawaddy U Wing Maung.

“He said the design and pattern of the note was made in Germany while he was there but due to a rush in the process, he only found the mistake after the notes were printed and distributed.”

After leaving Wazi, U Aye Myint struggled as a designer of traditional Myanmar art in Yangon for about 11 years, often drawing cover designs for Buddhist literary magazines.

“He was a passionate artist who always explained every piece of his art work and design in those magazines. By reading his texts and viewing his art works, readers could learn about traditional Myanmar art and design,” explained Tampawaddy U Win Maung.

After settling down in Amarapura, U Aye Myint’s designs appeared at many Buddhist religious buildings including the ornamentations of the southern stairway of Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda and the golden umbrella of Mandalay’s Maha Muni Buddha Image.

In early 2016, on the day of his 86th birthday, U Aye Myint launched a showcase of his works in Mandalay.

During the exhibition, he launched a book named Ancient Myanmar Designs, a collection of Myanmar traditional arts and designs, which he and the late historian Dr. Than Tun had collected over the space of 50 years.

Until his last days, U Aye Myint worked as a consultant at Saung Dar traditional weaving Academy in Amarapura and a consultant for conservation and restoration works of numerous historical buildings around Mandalay, including Mandalay’s ancient Shwenandaw Kyaung Temple and Amarapura’s famous U Bein Bridge.

“An expert like him should be substituted. However, his disciples will continue to preserve the value of traditional arts and designs and will hand them down to future generations,” said Tampawaddy U Win Maung.

U Aye Myint is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. His body will be cremated at Taung Inn Myauk Inn cemetery on Wednesday afternoon.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: ArtCultureDesignU Aye Myint
Previous Post

Ex-Ministers, Armed Groups Operate Farms in Kachin’s Conflict Areas

Next Post

Proposed New Minimum Wage Between 4,000 to 4,800 Kyats a Day

Zarni Mann

Zarni Mann

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand

Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand

November 18, 2023
9.6k
Myanmar Artist, Veteran Democracy Activist Sitt Nyein Aye Dies Aged 68

Myanmar Artist, Veteran Democracy Activist Sitt Nyein Aye Dies Aged 68

September 8, 2023
925
Myanmar Boat Festival’s Return Brings Joy and Sorrow

Myanmar Boat Festival’s Return Brings Joy and Sorrow

October 20, 2023
876
Myanmar Fireworks Festival Muted as Clashes Spread

Myanmar Fireworks Festival Muted as Clashes Spread

November 23, 2023
654
The cover of Magnus Fiskesjö’s ‘Stories from an Ancient Land: Perspectives on Wa History and Culture’

The Much Misunderstood Wa of Myanmar and China

December 7, 2021
14.3k
Burmese Director Explores Same-Sex Relationships in New Film

Burmese Director Explores Same-Sex Relationships in New Film

January 28, 2016
7.9k
Load More
Next Post
A construction site in Yangon. / The Irrawaddy

Proposed New Minimum Wage Between 4,000 to 4,800 Kyats a Day

Brig-Gen Thura San Lwin / The Irrawaddy

Maungdaw Border Guard Police Chief Replaced

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Putting the Myanmar Military’s Recent Losses in Perspective

Putting the Myanmar Military’s Recent Losses in Perspective

5 days ago
6.2k
Myanmar Regime Runs Low on Dollars, Increasing Fuel Prices

Myanmar Regime Runs Low on Dollars, Increasing Fuel Prices

5 days ago
6.1k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Coup Leader Showers Medals on Troops as String of Defeats Erodes Morale

    Myanmar Coup Leader Showers Medals on Troops as String of Defeats Erodes Morale

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • In Its Seventh Week, Operation 1027 Continues Expanding in Myanmar 

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mass Exodus as Myanmar Junta Bombards First Bago Town Lost to Resistance

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Junta’s Latest US Dollar Move is Enflaming Myanmar’s Fuel Crisis  

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Desperate to End War in North, Battered Myanmar Junta Begs China for Help

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Features
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.