Identity Lost, installation photo and video, 2000 – 2006.

Po Po is a self-taught artist based in Yangon who is recognized one of the most influential artists of his generation. His work has been included in international exhibitions since the early 1990s. Originally trained as a botanist, Po Po subtly addresses identity issues, drawing on his personal experiences and the difficulties of living in Myanmar. His work spans the mediums of performance, installation, photography, poetry and video.

Popo’s recent work is a response to an ongoing discussion with friends concerning globalization and the loss of personal identity.  The artists draws on his experience as a graphic designer to create overlapping visual effects.  This formal device functions as a metaphor for the multicultural layering experienced by many young Burmese. The installation Identity Lost uses digital photography and video. Po Po photographed and video-interviewed one hundred people from different countries who share views in their mother tongue on identity in a local and global context. The voices, in ensemble, are like a symphony orchestra. The portraits appear in a continuous sequence projected directly onto the gallery wall, or on a TV monitor that emphasizes the individual. (GG)