MYANMAR WINTER PROGRAM

This Winter ARTIS will host its premiere ‘Myanmar : Through the Eyes of the Photographer’ program. The dates for this program are over Xmas break, Dec. 27 to Jan. 11th, for 16 days. This is the ideal season for travel in Myanmar since the rainy season is over and the temperature is in the 70s and 80s.

During our recent travels there I saw an abundance of exotic opportunities for the photographer and knew Myanmar would be the ideal location for an exceptional photography program. I fell in love with the Myanmar people. Their simple lifestyle and their genuine kindness with each other and with their visitors made us feel welcome and at home. The people had a friendly curiosity towards us, were polite and respectfully reserved in their interactions with foreign visitors. Their eagerness to be helpful coupled with a sincere concern ensured that everyone’s needs were met. I cannot speak more highly of the truly humane nature of the Myanmar people.

Art and photo students will be surrounded daily with uncommonly rich visual stimuli, as Myanmar is unspoiled by the rampant tourism effecting most Asian countries. This ensures each student the space to explore and make their art without being bothered or crowded. A photographic opportunity exists at every turn enabling each student to compile a portfolio to be proud of over the course of our 2 week program.

Myanmar is a country locked away in time. Many of their traditional customs, dress and ceremonies are centuries old. You will interact with people living their lives pretty much the way they have for hundreds if not thousands of years. We make it a point to travel to some out-of-the-way places such as rural areas where villagers still shop in traditional outdoor market settings...where bullock carts bring the goods to sell, women barter and the animals roam freely.

The focal point of the program is to provide opportunities for students to photograph ‘on location’ in a wide range of environments. This will include landscapes, cities, villages, market places, artisan workshops, river and lake settings. Photographing sunrise and sunsets at locations of special interest will be an added treat.

Our safety and cultural orientation on the first day in Yangon will give the participant a good grounding in their new environment. We will also discuss various photographic themes the students can consider. Each day will provide such rich experiences of this culturally diverse country that it will behoove the students to have a pre-planned agenda or theme to focus on. For example, Myanmar is steeped in Buddhism. So one theme could be ‘All Things Buddhist”. Many of the sites we will be visiting are rich in Buddhist belief, rituals and traditions.

Besides touring the main temples, pagodas and monasteries to enjoy their architectural beauty and wonderful artistic detailing, we have scheduled ample time for the photo students to mingle in and explore the out-of-the-way places within the temple compounds. There they can find a wide range of rich photographic subject matter, depending on the intended Buddhist focus. Most of the Myanmar people live their religious beliefs openly, so it is not uncommon for the student to find monks in meditation, individuals performing various rituals and prayers, as well as an endless variety of Buddha statues and other art forms hidden away in these compounds.

Many non-Buddhist themes are also found: the village peoples, old people, children, fishermen, craftsmen and their environment, artistic detailing on buildings, landscapes, enchanting rivers and lakes, markets, ceremonies, etc.

In conclusion, the ARTIS program into Myanmar takes advantage of this unique “window into the past” to offer serious art and photo students a rare opportunity for interactions and exchange with the Myanmar people. Our program will offer amazing opportunities to explore and experience an Asian culture that, so far, remains largely unscathed by Western culture and lifestyles. The students are able to see and photograph many of the regional traditions, ethnic dresses, religious and civil ceremonies, as well as, an ancient lifestyle while it is still intact and openly displayed.

On our program we have made appropriate arrangements with local hotels, restaurants, guides and transportation that will assure us of the comforts and cleanliness we are used to without sacrificing the ambient nature of our host country. Please check our website at www.artis.info for detailed information on our Myanmar program.

Naturally I am also available to speak with directly so feel free to give me a call. I can be reached at 800-232-6893 from 10AM to 6PM Pacific time. David Renfrow, Program Director