‘Tales’ and Monologue Art Gallery
By Kyaw Htoo Bala, with Nabila Giovanna W

‘A Day in the Life’ is a series by A&M where we invite artists to share a day in their life through images accompanied by brief descriptions.

This month, meet Kyaw Htoo Bala (b. 1992), an artist from Yangon, Myanmar. His ongoing series, 'Tales' (2021-now), is inspired by everyday observations. Bala tells stories through a variety of techniques, from printmaking and paper cutting to collage and drawing. Beyond his artistic pursuits, Bala is also the founder of Monologue Art Space in Yangon, Myanmar, and Monologue Art Gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Find out more about 'Tales' and Bala's journey in running Monologue Art Space in this feature.

Installation view of artworks at the studio.

Currently I am working on a series called ‘Tales’ that started in late 2021. My clearest and happiest childhood memories are about the stories that my grandfather used to tell me. It is from that time that I inherited my taste for reading. Years later, I realised that the stories reflected the social and political climate of the time. I try to remember the feelings and emotions I had as a child. Today, as an artist, I am interested in creating my own stories based on the reflection of personal events in life.

Installation view at S.E.A. Focus 2023. Image courtesy of Intersections Gallery.

I rarely rely on a singular technique when crafting my artworks. Typically, I prefer integrating multiple techniques to bring my creations to life. In my most recent pieces titled ‘Tales’, I merged printmaking, paper cutouts, drawing, and collage, employing handmade Shan paper, acrylic, and ink on canvas in the process.

My artworks draw inspiration from the individuals and occurrences in my surroundings. I am influenced by what I observe, hear, and comprehend. The stimuli for my work arise from the contemplation of events unfolding before my eyes. At times, my art takes on a raw and unrefined aesthetic, occasionally conveying sarcasm, humor, sorrow, and even an inexplicable senselessness.

Monologue Art Gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

During my teenage years, I was employed at Studio Square, an artists-run gallery that I greatly admired. The experience fueled my aspiration to establish my own artist-run gallery or art space when the opportunity arose. In 2021, I realised this dream by founding Monologue Art Space in Yangon, Myanmar. Subsequently, in 2023, I expanded it with Monologue Art Gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which currently focused on featuring emerging artists from Myanmar. Looking ahead, Monologue aspires to represent and support emerging artists from across Southeast Asia.

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Read all A Day in the Life stories here.

All images are courtesy of the artist, unless otherwise stated.

About the Artist

Kyaw Htoo Bala (b. Myanmar, 1992) is an artist with a multidisciplinary approach that delves into self-reflection on contemporary matters through his creative expressions. He graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, in 2017. Bala's artistic range encompasses painting, photography, printmaking, sculpting, collage, and digital art. In 2021, Bala founded Monologue Art Space in Yangon, Myanmar, providing a platform for artistic exploration and collaboration. His first solo exhibition took place in Yangon in 2017, and he was selected as a finalist for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong in 2022. In 2023, his work was showcased in a group exhibition at S.E.A. Focus in Singapore. Currently, Bala works at his studio and manages the Monologue Art Gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand.