Paintings banned in Myanmar to go on show

Paintings of various styles, themes and colours form a patchwork-like carpet on the floor of Melissa Carlson's flat in Mid-Levels. For all their differences, the works have one thing in common - all had been censored or banned from public display in Myanmar.

They provide a glimpse of how artists navigated their way forward when the country was ruled by a military junta. This was a period when all creative expression - every book, song or work of art - had to be approved by Myanmar's state censorship board, and when criticism of the state could result in imprisonment or torture.

The public will be able to view them at an exhibition, "Banned in Burma: Painting Under Censorship", which opens at two venues starting on October 22.

Carefully picking her way between the works, Carlson recalls how she and co-curator Ian Holliday found the paintings on many visits to the country.

"Some were in poor condition - we had to pick off the dust and cobwebs," says the American graduate researcher who has written extensively on the art of Myanmar.

Like Holliday, a professor in political science at the University of Hong Kong, Carlson has a special interest in Myanmar affairs.

"A lot of the work was kept hidden in studios for years. It's a fascinating collection that really reflects the imprint of more than 50 years of the military regimes' fears, paranoia and nationalistic aspirations. It gives us a sense of the challenges faced by artists who experimented with non-traditional art forms," she says.