Nann Nann, born in 1974 in Yangon, has already gained recognition as one of Myanmar's up-and-coming talents. She studied for three years to obtain a diploma at the State School of Fine Arts, and then four years at the University of Culture earning a bachelor's degree in sculpture. Her parents are both artists as well as art teachers, and she has followed in their footsteps. Whereas her parents are painters of the traditional school, Nann Nann creates spectacularly abstract works on canvas as well as freeform sculptures in marble. Most of her works are in private collections. In 1998, she went on a tour of the UK check out the art scene, and attended a summer school at the Slade School of Fine Art in London.
"My parents were always painting at home, so by the time I was five, I was getting into their paints and stuff," she said of her childhood. "Art supplies were not easy to get but my parents allowed me to use their precious oils and watercolours. Their support gave me a sense of security and confidence, and I never stopped painting." By the time she finished high school, she had won some fifty prizes in international art competitions all over the world. "In the same way that my parents encouraged my interest, I now teach art to children," she said.
Nann Nann's sculptures are smoothly graceful with soft curves. Her paintings are spectacular, executed with a controlled boldness. She has held five solo shows so far, and has participated in several group shows. She won honorary mention in the Myanmar Times Contemporary Art Awards of 2004.
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