Group Show at Art Central Hong Kong 2025

Titled  As Good As Gold this group show presents the unique artistic voices of Maung Day (Myanmar), Nge Lay (Myanmar), Kyaw Htoo Bala (Myanmar), and Gede Sayur (Indonesia). Each artist brings a powerful narrative to the exhibition, using diverse media to reflect on cultural heritage, socio-political realities, and environmental concerns. It delves into the resilience and creativity of Southeast Asian artists who use their work as a form of resistance, storytelling, and reflection. Each piece challenges viewers to rethink notions of value – be it cultural, historical, or material, against the backdrop of an ever-changing global landscape.

Gede Sayur (Indonesia) Drawing from traditional Balinese influences, Gede Sayur’s works blend environmental concerns with spiritual symbolism. His featured pieces, The Environmentalist and Sacred Vibrations, emphasize the connection between humanity, nature, and cultural preservation in the face of modernization.

Kyaw Htoo Bala (Myanmar) A rising contemporary artist, Kyaw Htoo Bala’s workmerges bold symbolism with personal and collective trauma. His striking piece, The Scream of the Gecko 2 (Burning Head), reflects on political turmoil, cultural identity, and the inner conflict of those navigating Myanmar’s challenging socio-political landscape.

Maung Day (Myanmar) A poet, artist, and activist, Maung Day creates thought-provoking works that blend surreal imagery with sharp political and social critique. His featured pieces, Temple Goers, Faces in the Water and Children Playing Near the Prison Wall, One Sun Is Enough, confront themes of oppression, resistance ,and the distortion of faith in Myanmar. He examines the complexities of power, belief, and survival through layered symbolism and bold visual narratives. His works Falling Short 1 and Falling Short 3 were recently acquired by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), further cementing his impact on contemporary Southeast Asian art.

Nge Lay (Myanmar) Renowned for her evocative photography and installations, Nge Lay delves into themes of memory, time, and gender in Myanmar’s shifting socio-political landscape. Her acclaimed Endless Story series, an exhibition highlight, overlays historical and contemporary imagery, dissolving the boundaries between past and present, to reflect on Southeast Asia’s evolving identity. Her work has been showcased globally, and is held in esteemed collections such as the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.