Burma Art Club
Encyclopedia
Burma Art Club or BAC was a prestigious art institution in Rangoon (Yangon), Burma which was established in 1913 or 1914 or even 1918 according to various sources. The club was located on the premises of the Rangoon Government High School. It afforded a twofold opportunity: first, it was a means to develop the British colonial painters' own talents and second, they were able to teach Western style painting to others in Burma.
BAC was founded by amateur British colonial painters. This included Kenneth Martin Ward, Professor of Physics at Rangoon University
; Martin Jones, Railways Commissioner who drew for the Rangoon Times, and E.G.N. Kinch, the principal of Saint Methew Teachers Training College. They were assisted by Commissioner Hla Aung, his wife Mya May, and young Burmese artists such as Ba Zaw, Ba Nyan
, Tha Dun, Tun Hla, Saya Saung and Ba Kyi
.
Early years
Ward became BAC's first president with architect Tha Tun acting as Secretary. Hla Aung and Mya May arranged for the teachers and students to stay at their residence. They also allowed Ward to teach art at the Boys Buddhist School, which was owned by them. Daw Mya May became known as "the mother of Myanmar artists". BAC offered several courses such as still-life and portrait painting, as well as outdoor and indoor paintings on weekends. While the Burmese painters affiliated with the club accepted realistically painted nudes as art
, very few of them attempted to paint nudity themselves. The club was known to concentrate on system and method, earning it the nickname of "Labyrinth of Technique" amongst those in the art circle.
In 1920, the school expanded its classes, Ward himself taught oil painting, and Ba Nyan, developer of the "Rangoon School", became an art instructor in basic design. In that decade, club member painters, Ba Nyan and Ba Zaw, were able study in London at the Royal College of Art. Also in the 1920s, the founding members introduced students to British cartoon
art. Upon Ba Nyan's return to Burma, he brought back a bold style of oil painting while Ba Zaw returned with a stylized form of transparent watercolor painting.
Later years
Though art instruction continued at the club until World War II, some painters such as Ba Nyan began a new form instruction at their homes, that of master-apprentice training. The school was important in launching the careers of talented young artists such as Ba Nyan. In 1939, Ba Nyan himself became principal of the Art School.
In 1944, during the Japanese occupation, Ba Nyan led a group of artists that opened the school's successor, the Burmese Academy of Art, becoming the principal of the academy with Ba Kyi and San Win
as instructors. Two years later, an English Army art club and the Burma Art Club participated together in the Japanese Post-War Art Exhibition (Services Art Exhibition) at the Shwedagon Pagoda.
BAC was founded by amateur British colonial painters. This included Kenneth Martin Ward, Professor of Physics at Rangoon University
University of Yangon
Yangon University , located in Kamayut, Yangon, is the oldest and most well-known university in Myanmar. The university offers mainly graduate degree programs in liberal arts, sciences and law...
; Martin Jones, Railways Commissioner who drew for the Rangoon Times, and E.G.N. Kinch, the principal of Saint Methew Teachers Training College. They were assisted by Commissioner Hla Aung, his wife Mya May, and young Burmese artists such as Ba Zaw, Ba Nyan
Ba Nyan
Ba Nyan was a Burmese painter who has been called the greatest name in modern painting in Myanmar. His oil paintings were quiet and academic in their style, but display occasional flashes of virtuosity in bold brushstrokes and skillful handling of the medium....
, Tha Dun, Tun Hla, Saya Saung and Ba Kyi
Ba Kyi
Ba Kyi, FRSA was a well-known and prolific Burmese artist. He was initially trained in western painting, but in the post-WWII independence period, he initiated a revivial of Traditional painting, borrowing from the Western training he had received as well as his own cultural heritage of painting...
.
History
Ward became BAC's first president with architect Tha Tun acting as Secretary. Hla Aung and Mya May arranged for the teachers and students to stay at their residence. They also allowed Ward to teach art at the Boys Buddhist School, which was owned by them. Daw Mya May became known as "the mother of Myanmar artists". BAC offered several courses such as still-life and portrait painting, as well as outdoor and indoor paintings on weekends. While the Burmese painters affiliated with the club accepted realistically painted nudes as art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, very few of them attempted to paint nudity themselves. The club was known to concentrate on system and method, earning it the nickname of "Labyrinth of Technique" amongst those in the art circle.
In 1920, the school expanded its classes, Ward himself taught oil painting, and Ba Nyan, developer of the "Rangoon School", became an art instructor in basic design. In that decade, club member painters, Ba Nyan and Ba Zaw, were able study in London at the Royal College of Art. Also in the 1920s, the founding members introduced students to British cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
art. Upon Ba Nyan's return to Burma, he brought back a bold style of oil painting while Ba Zaw returned with a stylized form of transparent watercolor painting.
Later years
Though art instruction continued at the club until World War II, some painters such as Ba Nyan began a new form instruction at their homes, that of master-apprentice training. The school was important in launching the careers of talented young artists such as Ba Nyan. In 1939, Ba Nyan himself became principal of the Art School.
In 1944, during the Japanese occupation, Ba Nyan led a group of artists that opened the school's successor, the Burmese Academy of Art, becoming the principal of the academy with Ba Kyi and San Win
San Win
San Win was a painter who is renowned in Burma as the first Burmese painter to embrace impressionism as his chief style of depiction...
as instructors. Two years later, an English Army art club and the Burma Art Club participated together in the Japanese Post-War Art Exhibition (Services Art Exhibition) at the Shwedagon Pagoda.