The journey of the artwork from Myanmar to St. Paul took a full year. Artist and curator Saw Kennedy claimed that because the Myanmar government views some of the artwork as being illegal, he had to sneak it to Thailand before shipping it to the United States.
The artwork is currently on display at a new exhibition at Xia Gallery and Cafe, which according to the organisers is the largest collection of Myanmar art ever displayed in the United States.
Kennedy stated with a great sense of appreciation, “This presentation is sharing about the beauty of Burma. He immigrated to the United States in 2008 and is from a Karen hamlet in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
The exhibit aims to share the story’s backstory. Every painting reveals the imagination, emotions, and creations of its creator. That is what we would like to communicate to the global population.
A few dozen people joined Kennedy at the Xia Gallery on a chilly Friday night in December to celebrate the exhibition’s launch and take in performances of Karen songs and folk dance. 31 artists are featured in “Window to the Soul: A Myanmar Group Exhibit,” which is open to the public until February.
It is only the second exhibition for Xia Gallery, which focused on showcasing Asian and Asian American artists when it opened in October on University Ave. W near Western Ave. N in Little Mekong, a commercial and cultural district close to the Capitol in St. Paul.
To demonstrate togetherness, the gallery exhibits artwork and artists from Myanmar, particularly from a number of ethnic minorities like the Karen, Karenni, Pa’O, and others.
There are an estimated 20,000 Karen and 1,500 Karenni people living in Minnesota, according to the Karen Organization of Minnesota. The Karen people originate from the old Burma, now known as Myanmar. According to the Karen origin tale, people arrived in the region of Myanmar some 2,000 years ago after travelling from Tibet and China.
The Asian Economic Development Association in St. Paul is responsible for the gallery. The organisation was founded in 2006 by activists, community leaders, and small-business entrepreneurs from Asia. Little Mekong has been promoted and branded by the association.
In this way, the foundation for Xia Gallery and Cafe was laid.
XIA Gallery & Café is entirely supported by funding for the arts and culture from AEDA, according to Va-Megn Thoj, executive director of the organisation.
Opening book receptions for authors, dancers, or stand-up comedians might be held in the venue. Additionally, if they are knitters or anything similar, they can conduct their own classes, according to AEDA artist organiser Npaus Baim Her. Additionally, it provides writing groups and chances for Southeast Asian artists.
Solo Exhibit is the name of our initiative. If an artist has never hosted their own exhibition, we invite them to apply for the programme. To host their own exhibit, we give them access to that space, and they go through the process of learning how to set things up, Her explained.
In addition to serving coffee from Uprooted Coffee, Xia is a cafe that also sells locally made products including taro buns and Hawaiian raisin bread.
