ARTIST STATEMENT
Sometimes what we hold inside is too complex to put into words. My artwork explores what it means to endure loss, hold on to joy, and stay hopeful. I create to connect with others who’ve experienced loss, resistance, and the desire for a better future. Each piece holds space to process, remember, and dream.
In some of my artwork, I make layered, mixed-media paintings that explore grief, memory, and the emotional weight of being. I use bold colors and textured surfaces to express complex feelings—dissociation, longing, strength, and tenderness—all held together in a single moment.
I also incorporate self-portraits from an eventful time: the pro-democracy protests following the 2021 military coup in my home country of Myanmar (Burma). These photos show how I was feeling: lost, afraid, and resilient. I use them as the base for my paintings, adding layers of texture using acrylic and oil pastel.
In other pieces, I scratch the surface to create a rough, scab-like finish. This is how I show trauma—something that is healing but still painful, especially when retriggered. Sometimes, I use dried petals, leaves, and other organic materials to represent how fragile and temporary life can be. These elements break down over time—just like memory, relationships, and the body itself.
Through my work, I ask what it means to hold memory in a body, to grieve what’s been lost, and to imagine hope. For me, making art is how I process, remember what matters, and share stories that deserve to be told.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Based in Washington, DC, Khin is an artist from Myanmar (Burma). Through her work, Khin asks what it means to hold memory in a body, to grieve what’s been lost, and to imagine hope. In some of her artwork, through self-portraiture, layered textures, and images of the Myanmar democracy movement, she explores what it means to survive mass violence and still reach toward healing. She often creates rough, scab-like finishes to show trauma—something that is recovering but still painful, especially when retriggered. In other works, elongated teardrop strokes and neon tones signal emotional states ranging from dissociation to longing for comfort. Her work creates space to feel, reflect, and connect across experiences of loss, resistance, and hope. For Khin, making art is an act of remembrance, resilience, and the pursuit of collective healing. Khin has exhibited her work in group shows across Washington DC, Maryland, and Thailand, including at Strathmore Mansion, Rhizome DC, and The Commune in Chiang Mai. Her recent exhibitions include Translation Through Art, Exhibiting Failure, and Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. She also participated in Artomatic 2024.
© Khin