Breakfast with my enemy: Aung Ko
Past exhibition
Press release
Breakfast with my Enemy
During 2013 while I was creating the artworks for my solo show, my mood changed with so many ups and downs. But, nothing could stop me. I happened to create the artworks constantly. I believe the moods I had during this year has had quite an impact on my artworks. I kept on creating my artworks although I got many uncomfortable feelings, lost happiness, hidden timidity and emotional insecurities.
I’m sure the artworks I happened to create during 2013 were inspired by my moods. I could change my battling moods, anger, negligence and inactive state of my mind into the artworks.
These golden artworks are the reflections of my unstable moods. The color “gold” represents the identity of our people. Our country is known to some people as “the Golden Land”. Those who have visited our country know that the religious buildings and pagodas are gilded with real gold. But, the country is poor and so are the people.
And, one more thing is Myanmar people working abroad address each other “Ko Shwe” which means “Mr. Gold”. It’s also a password among them to know each other abroad. So, I happen to use the color gold in creating my artworks.
You may think my sculptures look quite. But, I tried my best to portray the state of ambiguity and unstable state of moods in creating them.
Among the unstable waves of politics, economy and other social affairs, I couldn’t control my mind and keep it stable.
Similarly, my paintings became alive from an ugly bomb blast which took place during the water festival in 2010. The themes of my paintings are based on the scenes of the water festival, but they also reflect the unstable situations of the global society today. My paintings will give the viewers a chance to taste the uncertainties and uncomfortable feelings along with some questions. That’s the point I want. Despite being an artist, I’m just a human. So, I feel and think from a human perspective.
Sometimes, we just want to accept easy and simple things. We don’t want to think about difficult and disputable things. That’s the basic human nature. I also don’t like those things. But, what my society and I myself actually encounter are such uncomfortable, uncertain and disputable things and questions. These pushed me to create my artworks.
9 white sculptures have the connection with the painting, and they are the 3D subjects which are expanded from the theme of the painting. Why I made the sculptures white is to let the viewers stretch their minds freely.
Anyway, the year 2013 is the time I happened to create many artworks. While creating them, I often felt to run away somewhere leaving everything behind. Sometimes, confidence left me alone. Besides, I had to control my mind, which was filled with scores of dissatisfaction. The days with such feelings delayed the deadlines of creating my artworks.
Again, money is the main barrier which delayed the deadlines of my artworks. Sometimes, I couldn’t finish the artworks in time as I didn’t have enough money. I felt as if I was sleepwalking when I had to create the artworks without money. But, I’m happy as I could create my artworks very well and repay the gratitude of those who trust me. If I would have another chance, I don’t want to be an artist who creates the artworks while getting worried about money and a proper place to create them.
Aung Ko, October 3rd 2013
Installation Views
Breakfast with my enemy, Installation view at Primo Marella Gallery Milano
Works
