Dear Partners and Friends of SEA Junction,
Stepping into the New Year, SEA Junction presents two major exhibitions in February. The Myanmar Odyssey: 4 Years of Fight and Displacement features the plight and courage of the people of Myanmar in fighting the junta and in having to survive in exile, particularly in Thailand. This adds to the ongoing exhibition in collaboration with BACC Pop-up themed around the spring revolution and our special monthly update this time aptly entitled What’sAheadFor Myanmar? The second exhibition by well-known artist and activist Butet Kartaredjasa showcases impressive figures impregnated by philosophical and political meaning.
A series of discussions will enrich the monthly program including the presentation of our research program with the Endangered Archives Program, supported by the British Library, on Mon Manuscripts and a series of panel discussions on varied issues relevant to Southeast Asia by the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology at Thammasat University, Greenpeace Thailand, and Rapid Asia.
We hope you will continue to find our program of interest. We count on your participation and help in sharing the information about our programs with your network and in supporting them (as per below). SEA Junction relies on community members like you to be able to maintain our venue and continue our work at a time when civic spaces are curtailed all over the world.Warmly,
Lia Sciortino Sumaryono
Founder and Executive Director, SEA Junction
PLEASE consider a donation to support our activities!. To donate is easy. You can: transfer via bank to our dedicated account for our Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies TMB #043 -7-18114-2 or if in Thailand you can just scan our QR code below. If in the US you can make tax-free donations through Partners Asia not forgetting to state that it is for us (just click here)!!
EVENT PROGRAM
Monthly Updates: WhatsAheadForMyanmar?
On 1 February 2025 at 3-4pm (Bangkok Time), SEA Junction in collaboration with media partners, Mizzima and The Irrawaddy, will hold the #WhatsAheadForMyanmar monthly update with Khin Ohmar witto look beyond the 4th year after the coup d’état. This, with the aim of contributing to a greater understanding of the crisis situation for informed action in support of the democratic movement in the country and beyond. To participate, tune in via Zoom and Facebook Live on our page: SEA Junction, Mizzima-Myanmar News – English Edition, and The Irrawaddy – English Edition.
See further: https://seajunction.org/event/whatsaheadformyanmar/
Exhibition and Books Launch
“A Myanmar Odyssey: 4 Years of Fight and Displacement”
Exhibition: 28 Jan – 9 Feb 2025, 4th Floor, Curved Wall, BACC
Opening event:2 February 2025, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm, SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
The two-week exhibition, featuring the work of Myanmar artist Shwe Wutt Hmon, is born out of solidarity with the people of Myanmar that has been fighting for democracy since the coup d’état led by General Min Aung Hlaing on 1 February 2021. For the 4th anniversary of the coup, we focus on the coup’s aftermath as an “odyssey”, to signify the long and perilous journey in challenging the dictatorship as well as the patriarchal norms at its core, and also the displacement of people from Myanmar within and outside the country. The art photographer, Shwe Wutt Hmon expresses these intersecting messages through three artwork series in mixed media that together provide a multi-faceted image of the still enduring odyssey as the fight for a New Myanmar continues. The opening event will take place on 2 February 2025 from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. At this event, we will also launch our very own publication of the collective diaries under the title “Living the Coup: A Collective Diary of Daily Life in Myanmar” and The Odyssey by Kyar Pauk.
For more information, please find: https://seajunction.org/event/exhibition-and-books-launch-a-myanmar-odyssey-4-years-of-fight-and-displacement/
Exhibition “Power of Youth & Symbols of Presence: Myanmar’s Spring Revolution Lives On” [BACC Pop-Up]
21 December 2024 – 2 February 2025, 11 am – 7 pm,
BACC Pop-Up, Gallery 1, Mun Mun Art Destination (MMAD), 3rd floor, Seacon Square, Srinakarin
There are only a few days left for the exhibition “Power of Youth & Symbols of Presence: Myanmar’s Spring Revolution Lives On” organized and curated by SEA Junction in collaboration with BACC Pop-Up. This exhibition consists of two series of artworks by two Myanmar photographers, documentary photographer Ta Mwe (pseudonym) and art photography artist Lily. Lily’s “Forever Young” twin series of photo-collage portraits of Gen Z protesters is dedicated to Myanmar’s forgotten youths. In parallel, Ta Mwe, in his photo documentary series “Symbols of Presence” (originally titled as “Flowers of Spring”), highlights how protesters manifest their commitment to freedom and democracy through body art amidst a backdrop of the military crackdown on protests and suppression of free speech portray.
See further: https://seajunction.org/event/exhibition-power-of-youth-symbols-of-presence-myanmars-spring-revolution-lives-on/
Art Exhibition “What’s in a Name?” Picturesque Calligraphy by Butet Kartaredjasa and Opening Event
Exhibition: 4-16 February 2025, 11.00 am – 7.00 pm, Curved Wall, 3rd Floor, BACC
Opening Event: 4 February 2025 @ 5.30 – 7.00 pm at SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
“What’s in a Name?” by Butet Kartaredjasa –an Indonesian artist known for his acting, monologue and social commitment–features unique, picturesque calligraphy artworks. The artworks, exposed by SEA Junction at the BACC, are composed of the repeated writing of his birth name. This artistic process was inspired by the widespread belief in Indonesia and in other parts of the region that a name given at birth does not always match with the person, in which case it can be a source of bad luck and a remedy has to be found its inner power could be reinforced by the meditative act of writing it hundreds of times a day for 90 days. A launch event will take place on 4th February 2025 from 5.30 pm – 7.00 pm and will feature an opening ceremony and a dinner reception with traditional Indonesian dishes after.
For more info: https://seajunction.org/event/art-exhibition-whats-in-a-name-picturesque-calligraphy-by-butet-kartaredjasa/
Celebrating Agency and Action งานเสวนาเปิดตัวหนังสือเรื่อง “Active Lives: Stories of three women in Asia”
9 February 2025, 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm, SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
Active Lives: Stories of Three Women in Asia, known in Portuguese as Vidas Ativas: Histórias de Três Mulheres na Ásia (2024), translates to “ชีวิตที่กระตือรือร้น” It is the result of two years of dedication by Ana Gretel Echazú Böschemeier. The book seeks to bridge geographically distant social movements between Asia and Latin America, highlighting that their struggles may not differ as much as one might think. The content encompasses life narratives focused on activism, gender issues, and spirituality in the Global South. At this launch event, Thai academics and contributing authors will share their Southeast Asian experiences in an open discussion panel. This event will be in English. More information about the event will be posted on SEA Junction website soon.
ไปกันต่อ INC 5.2: ยังไงดีสนธิสัญญาพลาสติกโลก (Event in Thai)
11 กุมภาพันธ์ 2568, 10.00-12.00, SEA Junction ห้อง 407-8, ชั้น 4, หอศิล์ปฯกรุงเทพ (BACC)
Greenpeace Thailand ร่วมกับ มูลนิธิความยุติธรรมเชิงสิ่งแวดล้อม(EJF) และ มูลนิธิบูรณะนิเวศ (EARTH) นำเสนอเวทีเสวนา “ไปกันต่อ INC 5.2: ยังไงดีสนธิสัญญาพลาสติกโลก” เพื่อถอดบทเรียน หาข้อสรุป และหารือถึงแนวโน้มของการประชุม INC 5.2 ที่กําลังจะมาถึง เนื่องด้วยในปี 2565 กว่า 160 ประเทศทั่วโลกไดล้งมติรับรอง UNEA 5/14 เพื่อพัฒนามาตราการที่มีผลผูกพันธ์ทางกฎหมายเพื่อยุติมลพิษพลาสติก (สนธิสัญญาพลาสติกโลก) โดยมติดังกล่าวเสนอกรอบเวลาสองปี สำหรับการประชุมคณะกรรมการเจรจาระหว่างรัฐบาล (INC) ทั้งหมด 5 ครั้ง โดยครั้งล่าสุดได้จัดขึ้นเมืองเดือนพฤษจิกายน 2567 ที่เมือปูซาน สาธารณรัฐเกาหลี แต่สนธิสัญญานี้ก็ยังคงเผชิญแรงต้านจากกลุ่มผู้ผลิตน้ำมันจำนวนมาก การหารือแนวทางในอนาคตจึงมีความสำคัญเป็นอย่างมาก ขอเชิญผู้สนใจเข้าร่วมเสวนา ดำเนินรายการเป็นภาษาไทย
Recalling a Trans-local Past: Thailand’s Mon-language Manuscripts
15 February 2025, 5.00 – 6.30 pm, SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
A large number of manuscripts in the Mon language are kept in the temples of the Thai-Mon community who live in the provinces surrounding Bangkok. The Thai Mon community has lived in Siam/Thailand since the nineteenth century, and so differ from recent migrants from Burma. Today, the Mon language in Thailand is disappearing, and very few in the Thai – Mon community are literate in the Mon language anymore. To preserve this part of identity and history, Patrick McCormick has been working on translating and learning about the Mon language and culture. In this talk, Patrick will share his research, funded by the Endangered Archives Program, and translation work covering a variety of topics, including religious teachings and works of literature, history, astrology, and medical treatment from the forgotten Mon Scripts. More information about the event will be posted on SEA Junction website soon.
Southeast Asia Mini Book and Craft Fair
22 -23 February 2025, 11 am – 7 pm, SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
Once a month, SEA Junction holds a mini book and craft fair focusing on Southeast Asia. At the fair, we offer small crafts from the region along with many books, including new books from recognized publishers, second-hand books double to those in our library, and development-related books from outside the region that have been donated to SEA Junction. We also have a collection of books in French, and Italian and Southeast Asian books doubled to our library recently received by donors. Craft from the region and photos of previous exhibitions are also on offer. Please note that all funds raised at the fair contribute to SEA Junction’s functioning and activities. Special this month, we offer some Christmas crafts from the region.
See further: https://seajunction.org/event/southeast-asia-mini-book-and-craft-fair-52/
Rapid Asia 15th Anniversary Event – Panel Talk on “AI For Social Innovation Impact”
28 February 2025, 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm, SEA Junction, Room 407-8, 4th floor, BACC
Rapid Asia, a consulting firm that specializes in social research and project and campaign evaluations and one of SEA Junction founding partner, is celebrating its 15-year anniversary with a hybrid event to explore “AI for social innovation impact.” The topic will be presented by AI experts and feature a case study project carried out by three Rapid Asia interns from Myanmar. Networking will follow with light food and wine. More information about the event will be posted on SEA Junction website soon.
For more information please email info@seajunction.org and phone/wa: +66970024140
About SEA Junction, OUR Venue on Southeast Asia
SEA Junction aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions – from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 408 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium) SEA junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers.
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