Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) is proud to announce The Squares, the first solo exhibition at RKFA Singapore by the Burmese artist duo Tun Win Aung (b. 1975) and Wah Nu (b. 1977). Running from 11 January to 15 February 2025, this groundbreaking exhibition will coincide with Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2025, one of the region’s most anticipated art events.
The Squares presents a new series from the artists’ ongoing project, Thousand Pieces of White (begun 2009), a reflective body of work that delves into three decades of personal and political history in Myanmar. Drawing from old Burmese magazines that were censored under the country’s authoritarian rule, Tun Win Aung and Wah Nu transform these once-restricted materials into minimalist abstractions. Pages featuring silver and black redactions have been repurposed into large-scale bichromatic paintings, where layers of censorship are given new life as striking visual compositions. These works not only resurrect the remnants of the past but also challenge the viewer to contemplate the complex relationship between memory, history, and erasure.
Another highlight of the exhibition is the inclusion of the restored 1973 film Tender are the Feet (Ché Phawa Daw Nu Nu), by acclaimed Burmese director Maung Wunna. The artists have intervened in the film to address missing censored scenes, creating a palimpsestic work that reflects the fragmentation of Myanmar’s cultural history. This artistic intervention highlights the impermanence and manipulation of memory, while also paying homage to the film’s significance in Burmese cinematic history.
Curated by Louis Ho, The Squares offers a poignant micro-history of Myanmar’s recent past, exploring how censorship has shaped not just political discourse but also the visual language of its citizens. The exhibition serves as both a remembrance and a reinterpretation of the material traces of that era, providing audiences with a deeply evocative and thought-provoking experience.
Wah Nu (b.1977, Yangon, Myanmar) began her artistic activities after studying music at the University of Culture, Yangon. She currently works in various media, primarily painting and film. Wah Nu has been creating pop-style paintings through which she expresses her emotions, employing clouds and foliage as motifs. In tandem with painting, Wah Nu also creates films with a distinctive floating sense that evokes daydreaming.
Tun Win Aung (b.1975, Ywalut, Myanmar) employs various mediums including photography, video, and installation. His practice focuses on local histories and environments and often collaborates with artist Wah Nu on large-scale art projects and activities. Their works as a duo have been exhibited in institutional venues such as the Guggenheim Museum, New York, United States (2013); 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan (2011); and biennials including the Singapore Biennale (2016); 4th Guangzhou Triennial, China (2011); and the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial, Brisbane, Australia (2009).
Wah Nu and Tun Win Aung are currently living and working in Yangon.
Tun Win Aung & Wah Nu – The Squares (Curated by Louis Ho)
11 January - 15 February 2025
Richard Koh Fine Art,
Blk 47 Malan Road,
#01-26 Gillman Barracks,
Singapore 109444
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 am - 7 pm
Closed on Sunday, Monday & Public Holiday
