Sai (artist)

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Sai is a Burmese artist known for his works in support of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Sai is the co-founder of Myanmar Peace Museum. [4]

Early life and education

Sai is the son of Linn Htut, a member of the National League for Democracy who served as the 2nd Chief Minister of Shan State from 2016 to 2021. [3]

In 2019, Sai received a Goldsmiths Fellowship from the University of London.

Following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état on 1 February 2021, Linn was detained. On 28 January 2022, he was charged with four counts of corruption and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. [1] Sai's mother spent several months under house arrest, and now lives under heavy surveillance. [1] [5]

Career

Myanmar

In the aftermath of the coup, Sai supported the protest movement, making riot shields and infographics on treating teargas exposure and gunshot wounds. [6] Sai subsequently fled Myanmar. [6]

Exile

In 2022, Sai opened a solo exhibition "Please Enjoy our Tragedies" featuring photography from his escape from Myanmar. [3] [7] [8]

On 29 April 2025, Sai addressed a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief led by Lord Alton of Liverpool. [9]

2025

In July 2025, Sai co-curated an exhibit "Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity” at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). [10] After the exhibit opened on 24 July 2025, the gallery was visited by officials from the Embassy of China in Bangkok, who demanded elements of the exhibit be censored or removed. [11] The BACC was told by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration the exhibit would be unable to continue if it did not remove elements considered "problematic" by the Chinese embassy, and removed several pieces. [12]

Sai noted that "It is tragically ironic that an exhibition on authoritarian cooperation has been censored under authoritarian pressure. Thailand has long been a refuge for dissidents. This is a chilling signal to all exiled artists and activists in the region." [10] Sai subsequently fled Thailand. [13] [14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 London, Charlie Campbell / (14 March 2022). "Myanmar Artist's Daring Mission to Tell His Father's Story". TIME. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  2. ↑ Al Jazeera English (27 January 2025). The exiled Myanmar artist pleading for the world’s attention | Witness Documentary . Retrieved 9 August 2025– via YouTube.
  3. 1 2 3 "A Burmese Artist Is Using His Work to Demand the World Pay Attention to Myanmar's Political Prisoners. One of Them Is His Father". Artnet News. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. ↑ Mcpherson, Poppy; Wesshasartar, Napat; Wesshasartar, Napat (8 August 2025). "Exclusive: Thai gallery removes China-focused artworks after 'pressure' from Beijing". Reuters. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "How a Bangkok art show was censored following China's anger". www.bbc.com. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  6. 1 2 "How Thailand Became a Refuge for Displaced Myanmar Creatives". artreview.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "'Please Enjoy our Tragedies': an exhibition by Sai [BLANK] | Yangon/London | Emergent Art Space". emergentartspace.org. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Myanmar artist Sai reveals junta's horrors". openDemocracy. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  9. ↑ lordalton (30 April 2025). "Meeting In Parliament To Highlight The Suffering of the Burmese People At The Hands Of The Military Junta". David Alton. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity". Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "Bangkok Art & Culture Centre censors works following visit from Chinese officials". artreview.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  12. ↑ "Because I don't Want Thailand to become a Chinese Vassal State, I Must Record This: Chinese Embassy Censoring BACC Art Exhibition in Bangkok". 10 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  13. ↑ Thai gallery removes China-focused artworks after 'pressure' from Beijing | REUTERS. 8 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025– via YouTube.
  14. ↑ Farfan, Isa (8 August 2025). "Thai Art Center Censors Exhibition After "Pressure" From China". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 9 August 2025.


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