Ikon has announced details of a major solo exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Htein Lin from Myanmar.

Evoking his lifelong commitment to documenting human experience in difficult times, Escape shows a comprehensive selection of the artist’s paintings made while he was a political prisoner from 1998 to 2004.

Part of the collection has been created on prison uniforms and found textiles, alongside drawings, sculptures, videos and new works. Htein Lin also makes new artworks with residents of HMP Grendon, Buckinghamshire, exploring prison art in Britain and Myanmar.

Included in the exhibition is Htein Lin’s Fiery Hell (2024), which portrays the plight of Myanmar’s rural populations, including ethnic and religious minorities, caught up in the ongoing civil war.

At the centre of the collection are over 45 works from the 000235 series (1998-2004). Titled after Htein Lin’s International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) number, they demonstrate the ingenuity and originality of his art made in confinement.

Video works give an insight into Htein Lin’s writing and performance. The Fly documents a 2005 performance in Yangon at the Institut Français following his release from prison in 2004. First performed for inmates while he was in prison, the work was inspired by George Langelaan’s 1957 short story in which a fly enters a room and influences subsequent events, reminding him of the flies he had encountered while being interrogated in prison.

A key element of Htein Lin’s project for Ikon includes artworks made with residents of HMP Grendon in Buckinghamshire. An off-site exhibition at the prison (Thu 1 May – Thu 22 May), includes portraits of prison residents and soap block sculptures inspired by the artist’s carving technique.

The display follows workshops developed in collaboration with current HMP Grendon Artist in Residence Simon J. Harris, and explores subjects, materials and tools synonymous with prison art in Britain and Myanmar.

Speaking about the project, Htein Lin said: “Although I am currently unable to travel outside of Myanmar, knowing that my work is being shown in exhibitions overseas like Ikon keeps open a window for me to look out on the world. It also offers a chance for the world outside to see what is happening in Myanmar.”

Htein Lin: Escape comes to Ikon from Thu 20 Mar – Sun 1 Jun. You can find more information about the exhibition here.

Featured image – Htein Lin, Sitting at Iron Gate (2002) from the series 000235 (1998-2004). Acrylic and vinyl paint on textile.