Window to the Soul
A Myanmar Artist Group Exhibition
The largest collection of Myanmar artwork to be exhibited in the United States.
"Sharing about the beauty of Burma. . .Every painting tells about every artist's imagination, feelings, and creations," (Saw Kennedy, Curator)
About the Exhibition
"Window to the Soul" is the first of what we hope will to be many of the exhibitions from Myanmar in the USA. These collections are from a Myanmar artist group called, "U & I." Majority of the artwork had to be smuggled from Myanmar, to Thailand and then shipped over to the United States. Very few of of the artists in the exhibition are from the United States and another one from Norway.
These gifted artists are using art to explore their culture, history, spirituality, and lifestyle. The collection opens windows to Myanmar's past, its beautiful landscapes, traditional culture and practices, and the remarkably resilient individuals who make up the people of Myanmar.
Each painting is a window where the artist invites you to see the world though their imagination, their feelings, and their artistic vision. We invite you on this journey into the soul of the people of Myanmar. We hope that you will understand why it is often called The Golden Land.
Meet the Curator
Saw Kennedy
Saw Kennedy is the Lead Organizer for the U&I Artist Group, and the Lead Artistic Curator for "Window to the Soul." He was born in a 1973 in a small Karen village in Karen State, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Saw Kennedy was forced to flee to Thailand to escape his country's repressive military government and arrived at Umpiem, a refugee camp along the Thailand/Burma border.
Saw Kennedy's artistic career began in 1988, the same year as the "8888 Uprising" in Myanmar. After arriving in Umpiem refugee camp, Kennedy became the Youth Development Art Director and in 2005, moved to Mae Sot, Thailand. For years, he lived in Mae Sot and worked with the local community as a teacher and painter. Through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Kennedy resettled to Seattle in 2008. His artwork has been featured in the Vidya Gallery. In 2019, he moved to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where he currently resides. Saw Kennedy uses a unique charcoal method. He also expresses himself through the mediums of watercolor and acrylic.
