Artist’s Statement
I have always been fascinated by the act of dissection. It expands my mind to comprehend the source of life and death. I don’t know whether it is a blessing or a curse that I did not become a doctor. All the parts I use for my work came from once functioning components whose original purposes have become moribund. Out of curiosity, I took them apart to see the inside, the marvels of their magical contribution towards mankind. I found that each piece linked to each other with logical relativity.
Each constituent piece is unique in form and intent unlike what I see in the outside world. I use the pieces in my work by putting them back together differently to give them a new life and form. This time not for pragmatic purposes but for the stimulation of conjectural imaginary. But their new life and purpose will also end someday for some reason just as their first life did. So, inherently, everything we see and feel has its own rate of longevity.
This precept of impermanence may be regarded as being dark to many, but embracing it gives me the understanding of the very nature of cause and effect. That is to say, one will be less disappointed or dismayed with things that don't come one’s way. It is far better to be clear about one's confusions than confused about one's own confusions.
In essence, I will say that, it is obvious that things exist temporarily within their own nature and contrarily we labor to build that nature into an edifice of permanence.
Aung Aung Taik
Aung Aung Taik
Born in Rangoon, Burma in 1948, the Burmese artist Aung Aung Taik, received the traditional boarding school education of his class, after which he decided not to follow his father’s footsteps and enter medical school, but to study painting. He attended the State Academy of Art in Rangoon and took private lessons from two of Burma’s leading artists, U Ba Kyi and U Ngwe Gaing. Afterwards, he accompanied his mentors, the writers Ludu U Hla and Daw Ahmar on a number of anthropological expeditions into the remote regions of Burma. Aung Aung Taik illustrated a series of books published by Ludu U Hla. Successful exhibitions of his work in Burma and Japan followed. Dissatisfied with stagnation in the fine arts and seeking greater artistic autonomy, Aung Aung Taik left Burma and came to the United States in 1972 and continued his studies at the San Francisco Art Institute. A series of exhibitions led to his first one-man show at the Mission Cultural Center in 1981, where Tom Albright commented in the San Francisco Chronicle that Aung Aung’s paintings “…suggest some of the strange stage sets of Francis Bacon carried to a greater degree of abstraction…
Intense engagement with the diversity of cultural life in the San Francisco of the 80’s led him to a mastery of the English language and the desire to express some of his understandings in poetry and prose. Visions of Shwedagon (1989), an autobiographical novel followed, and with it a renewed interest in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism native to his homeland. Aung Aung extended his grasp of that unique viewpoint with a series of sculptural representations of the Buddha and the essay, “ A View from the Lower Life”(1992).
In a further celebration of the traditions of his homeland, he published his Under the Golden Pagoda (1993) with Chronicle Books, reclaiming Burma’s rich cuisine as an integral part of his San Francisco life.
Aung Aung Taik became an American citizen in 1994.
In 2001, Aung Aung Taik, one of the pioneer modern artists of Burma, returned to his beloved country to paint, and have his first solo exhibition there after 30 years in America.
Since then, Aung Aung Taik has been visiting Burma annually having one man shows and group shows in Rangoon and Mandalay. He conducted art workshops and forums at Htanyeiknyo Art Center in Mandalay. He is of one of the founders of Art Space, which opened in February 2008. Art Space represents a group of modern artists called the New Zero Art Group, of which Aung Aung Taik is also a member.
Art Exhibitions and Poetry Readings:
1964
State Annual Art Exhibition, Envoy Hall, Rangoon, Burma.
1967
Modern Art Exhibition, Y.M.C.A., Rangoon, Burma.
1968
State Annual Art Exhibition, Jubilee Hall, Rangoon, Burma.
Emporium Art Exhibition (Three paintings bought by Madame Ne-Win, the late First Lady)
1969
Monsoon Modern Art Exhibition, Burma Medical Association, Rangoon, Burma.
Private exhibition, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Olson of Pan American Airlines, Rangoon, Burma.
Private Exhibition sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. H. Sewell, Military Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Rangoon, Burma.
1970
Expo '70, Osaka Trade Fair, Japan.
Exhibition of Burmese Paintings, Alliance Francaise (May 1970), Rangoon, Burma.
Exhibition of Burmese Paintings, Alliance Francaise (December 1970), Rangoon, Burma.
1971
State Annual Art Exhibition, Envoy Hall, Rangoon, Burma.
Emporium Art Exhibition, lnya Lake Hotel, Rangoon, Burma.
Shaung-Ya Dhu Art Exhibition held at the Burma Medical Association, Rangoon, Burma.
1972
Emporium Art Exhibition, Inya lake Hotel-Rangoon, Burma.
Second Rangoon Township Art Council Annual Art Show, Envoy Hall, Rangoon, Burma.
Nway-Ya-Dhu Art Exhibition, Medical College "Dome", Rangoon, Burma.
Annual Art Exhibition, Mandalay Town Hall, Mandalay, Burma.
Galleria Heller, San Francisco, California.
1973
The Addison Greene Gallery, New York, New York.
1974
The Metzer Krasnow Gallery, Scarsdale, New York.
The Village Gallery, Crestwood, New York.
1977
Capricorn Asunder Gallery Group Show, San Francisco, California.
1979
Private showing sponsored by Rene Bullard Tancer- Galleria Heller, San Francisco, California.
1980
Fukuoka Konnichino, Bijujsuten, Japan.
1981
One man show a~ Galleria Museo: Mission Cultural Center
San Francisco, California.
1985
One man show-CCC and Arts Commission of Belvedere-Tiburon.
1986
Chosen amongst eight poets to read at the first ever Poetry Day of San Francisco.
1987
Represented Myanmar at the National Poetry Week Festival, San Francisco, California.
1988
Native Symbols: An Exhibition of Drawings on Ceramic Plates, M. Sanchez Gallery, San Francisco, California.
1989
The Poet as Artist- Artist as Poet: An art exhibition sponsored by the National Poetry Association, San Francisco, California.
Represented Myanmar at the National Poetry Week Festival, San Francisco, California.
In a Different Syntax: Writing in Other Tongue
Forced to say it otherwise: Reading by Aung Aung Taik.
1990
Group show, Fort Mason Art center.
Represented Myanmar at the “Poetry from the Pacific Rim”-San Francisco, California.
Painted three 30x40 foot paintings for the National Poetry Association at Fort Mason-San Francisco, California
1991
Group show- SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, California.
Solo reading at the International Institute of San Francisco.
1992
One man show- Woodstock Country Club, Indianapolis, Indiana.
San Francisco: “A Microcosm-Featuring Leading Immigrant Poets”- Aung Aung Taik (Burma)
1993
Group show-SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, California.
Artables at Enrico's- San Francisco, California.
1994
In the Company of Light- Group Show- Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, California.
Memorial Reading for Writers and Artists who have died of AIDS.
1995
Artists to Artists in Kobe- Group Show- San Francisco California.
Group show-SOMAR Gallery-San Francisco, California.
(Art) Works with Word (Art)-San Francisco, California.
1996
One man show- Washington Square Gallery- San Francisco, California.
1997
Pleasure of the Palettes-Group show-Phoenix Arizona.
2001
One man show-Htan Yeik Nyo Art Center-Mandalay, Myanmar.
One-man show-Beikthanoe Art Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
Solo poetry reading-Mr. Guitar, Yangon, Myanmar.
2003
Group show-Htan Yeik Nyo Art Center-Mandalay, Myanmar.
2004
Group show-Fresno Art Museum.
3As group show-Beikthanoe Art Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
Peintres Contemporains Birmans: Alliance Francaise de Rangoun.
2005
New Zero Group show- Lawkanat Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
2005
New Zero Group show- Lawkanat Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
2006
New Zero Group show- Lawkanat Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
2007
New Zero Group show-Beikthanoe Art Gallery, Yangon Myanmar. Note: Cancelled by the Government.
2008
Burma Now: Photo Show. -San Francisco Mart.
Group Show-Beikthanoe Art Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar.
New Zero Art Space-Yangon, Myanmar.
2009
Asean Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Yangon, Myanmar.
Fresno Art Museum-One man show February 20, 2009
Aung Aung Taik-Gustavo Rivera- Two Men Show, Golda Art Space, California
“Link”-State Academy of Fine Arts: Alumni Exhibition, Yangon, Myanmar
Artist in Residence - New Zero Art Space, Yangon, Myanmar
2010
Tales of Two Maps-Group Show, Hong Kong
“Interpretation of Interpretation” , University of San Francisco.
2011
Poets in the Arboretum at University of California Davis- Solo Reading
“Paper-Sissors-Glue” Bay Area Collage- Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, California.
Losing Count - Galleria de la Raza - San Francisco, California
International Art Show for Peace - Losing Count -Zacatecas, Mexico
2012
San Francisco Collage Collective - Group Show
Charity Art Fair for People Living with HIV - Yangon, Myanmar
International Multi Media Art Festival - Yangon, Myanmar
3A's - Aung Aung Taik, Aung Myint, Aye Ko - Yangon, Myanmar
2013
Group Show - a.Muse Gallery - San Francisco, California
Publications:
1989
"Visions of Shwedagon”-an autobiographical novel- published by White Lotus, Bangkok, Thailand.
1990
“On the Road from Mandalay”- an essay on the literary scene of Burma -published by San Francisco Review of Books.
1992
"A View from the Lower Life"-`an essay on young Burmese monks- published by Icarus-The Rosen Publishing Group, New York, New York.
1993
”Under the Golden Pagoda”: The Best of Burmese Cuisine”-published by Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
“Meeting Betty Kano"- an article on the artist Betty Kano -published by University of California, Santa Cruz.
Print Media:
San Francisco Chronicle
New York Times
Los Angeles Times
Far Eastern Economics Review
Image Magazine-San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco Review
SOMAR
The Indianapolis Register
Poetry Flash
Poetry USA
Horizontes
Pwint Thit
Artstream Myanmar
Parisiana
In Myanmar:
History of Modern Art in Myanmar
Han Thit
Image
Myanmar Dhana
Pan-Art Magazine
Yoke Shin Thitsa
Sa Taing Thit (New Style)
Nwear Nyi
Beauty
Ah Chit
Myanmar Times