Picturing a Revolution

Episode #188: Min Ma Naing, a photojournalist and narrative visual artist, stumbled onto her path accidentally. While studying in Hong Kong, she often went to a park to take a break from the strain, where her innocent smiles were misconstrued by men. To deter unwanted advances, she carried a camera, igniting a passion for photography.After attending an intensive international reporting training, she ventured to Meiktila, a town marred by religious tensions. In contrast to the media’s usual focus on the negative, she wanted to find positive stories to cover, and after further media training, she returned to Meiktila to do just that.Employed by The Myanmar Times, disillusionment set in, not only with the media’s focus on the negative angle of stories, but also gender bias in the newsroom. So she began to explore the field of documentary photography.Min Ma Naing ended up spending extended time living in Bangladesh, where she very much felt like an outsider. So when she ended up serendipitously meeting some Somali exiles there, she realized they both shared the experience of being outsiders. This led to a project she called “Jigsaw,” which shared many diverse, individual stories of displacement.Her portfolio then expanded to encompass diverse topics, including nunnery life and human trafficking, as well as more personal stories, such as one project exploring a failed relationship. But the military coup in February, 2021, dramatically shifted her focus. Through film photography, she captured the diverse perspectives of those opposing the coup. Her stories explored the individual experiences of ordinary people because it was, after all, a people’s revolution.The coup upended her life, and after surviving some close calls as a protester, she realized that the military would be coming for her sooner or later. She finally fled the country, with her family’s blessing, although her sister remains in prison to this day.Now in living in safety, her art has become a double-edged sword, reminding her of her privilege in being in a place of safety and escaping arrest. Seeking healing, she began to chronicle her emotions in visual diaries on the advice of a therapist, which later transformed into poignant handmade books that help her bridge the emotional chasm caused by her exile and love of her country.Min Ma Naing continues today to give a voice to her country’s vulnerable population who are struggling to be heard. Yet, she notes, “I don't like the term like a voiceless. We were not able to hear it, but they have their voice, and we [just] fail to hear it.”