Htein Lin's extraordinary artistic journey is shaped by his six years of imprisonment in Myanmar, where he used prison uniforms as canvas and improvised tools like syringes and cigarette lighters to create art. His retrospective exhibition, 'Escape,' showcases various works reflecting on his experiences before, during, and after incarceration. Notable pieces like 'Sitting at Iron Gate' metaphorically illustrate the confinement felt in prison. Lin's art encompasses textile paintings, monoprints, and collaborations with UK prison inmates, highlighting his resilience, creativity, and continued evolution as an artist post-release.
I had no canvas, no brushes, no paint. But I had to make art... I befriended the prison guards to smuggle in paint, scavenging for materials wherever I could.
The exhibition spans the period before his imprisonment, through more than six years in jail, seven years in the UK and his life back in Myanmar since then.
Sitting at Iron Gate (2002)... features interlocking limbs and swirling patterns, symbolising the confined and restricted nature of prison life.
His most recent work includes textile paintings, monoprints, video and performance, reflecting on his creative evolution and experiences.
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