Pan Gyi Soe Moe is a Burmese Asian Modern & Contemporary artist who was born in 1944. He is also an academy award winning film maker and the patron of Myanmar Film Industry Association. He also acts as a patron of Myanmar Professional Photographers’ Association. Soe Moe’s first painting to be offered at an international auction was “GOING HOME” at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2019 (cover page).
MI visited Soe Moe’s residence in Kamaryut township and interviewed him on current affairs, COVID and economic difficulties faced by artists at present. His vast experience and expertise in areas of film, photography and arts has also accorded him the stature of a national treasure.
What is the current state of economic conditions for artists at various levels?
For the artisans and fine artists (who paint), previously, there was a vibrant international market. International visitors and travellers come, visit, buy and go. We, the artists ourselves, also went overseas to exhibit our works. We went across Asia and Europe. All these stopped once COVID happened.
For inbound visitors and buyers, the tours are especially important. If we cannot have tours during the tourist season, the artists and galleries have no visitors, hence no income. Looking across our border, in Thailand, they even encounter COVID worse, yet the pandemic is kept separate from visitors, tours and tourists. Only when they come, they would buy presents and paintings normally serve as good presents. Even an average painter artist can earn a living.
Nowadays, the political situation and COVID double whammy has destroyed the art market for paintings. The artists are still drawing, but there are no buyers. The famous ones with existing customers may still be comfortable, yet most are in dire straits.
For movies, everything is at a standstill. The cinemas were closed, so the filming also stopped. Even if there is filming, the cinemas only want to show good movies. Those without famous actors, actresses or directors, or those films that are thought to be not money making, the cinema management do not want to put up these shows. So they choose and select those they prefer. Previously, for box office, the cinema owner, the film owner and the association could get together to negotiate and resolve.
For the film producers and directors, they have to film under COVID people gathering guidelines. They need to get permit from MOH. Even after filming, there are no cinemas. All are closed until now. For the producers with sufficient funds, they can produce first. But this situation does not happen quite frequently under current environment.
Next issue is related to politics. Some actors and actresses went for the CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement), a few of them simply due to peer pressure. As far as I am aware, there are so many of them, totally uninterested in politics. They are only in the industry for work. They film one after another. The reason they ended up being in anti-government movement is mainly due to fear.
Because of this embedded fear in their hearts and minds that they are unable or unwilling to do anything, for or against either side. From the mental perspective, it is as if everyone is having depression.
Some asked me what should they do, what should they eat or how should they survive. I want to tell them in Myanmar, you would normally not starve to death. You may not become wealthy, but you can eat and survive. If a person works hard daily, he or she would not starve.
In terms of photographers, there are commercial, competition and amateur groups. For the amateurs and competition photographers, the economic situation is not dire. They may win some prizes so the impact is not severe. The commercial ones are the ones impacted most by change in circumstances due to COVID and politics. Portrait photos, advertisement photos are no longer in much demand as foreign companies left. Actors and actresses, without portrait and ad opportunities, no longer have an income. Furthermore, with the development of enhanced phone photography, companies no longer have a need for photographers. Enormous improvements in technology have somewhat made all photographers redundant.
How do we overcome all these difficulties and challenges faced by the artists?
The current government has donated 100 million Kyats net, for the artists. But the associations receiving these funds, are scared to use these funds and instead decided to use only the interest earned.
TV program productions has also stalled. There are simply no sponsors to fund these programs. So, instead of the money donations, it would be best if the government stations such as MRTV4 use the redundant artists, giving them jobs. They can use everyone in the pool, apart from those on the CDM.
At the same time, giving permission for box office show license has an issue. At the time of filming and productions, the artists are without a criminal record. Due to their anti government movement, some of them have been charged. So the movies with theses artists can no longer be in box office. Such wasted investments has to be carefully evaluated by the government. If the actor has been found guilty, he would serve time. After serving, there is no reason for his movies to continue to be banned. If the government follows this, there would be many movies available to release for public viewing.
If the main actor or actress is doing well (even after serving time), the group depending on him, such as supporting team, costume, sound, machinists, all would follow him and do reasonably well. It’s like a train with the engine in front. If the engine fails, the whole train stalls.
The funding support from the government also cannot continue indefinitely. The alternative would be for the ministries to initiate educational, promotional or drama programs as public service videos and employ the artists who need support. The artists in turn also have to support the government programs. Only when we support each other, we can resolve difficult issues facing the art industries.
