A Chauk: A Solo Exhibition By Richie Htet

In Myanmar, the LGBTQI community suffers constant setbacks and discrimination. Even in popular culture, especially cinema, there is always one character who is perceived as a silly, frivolous and scheming extra, and that character is almost always part of the LGBTQI community.

Richie Htet works toward changing the traditional narrative of the gay community, and root it in traditional Myanmar and other cultural influences for a modern audience. As an illustrator and creative director, he has always appreciated traditional motifs, textile designs and mythology. Characters from folklore coloured his childhood, and he wants to instrumentalize these characters and reinvent their purpose – to teach people about acceptance, positivity, and understanding when engaging and including the LGBTQI community through popular culture.

Richie Htet (b. 1995) is an illustrator, painter and creative director. He studied at the London College of Fashion and currently lives and works in Yangon. His work often explores themes of female energy and empowerment, fashion and fabrics, as well as reinterpreting the historical gaze.