Revealing images of Myanmar; a country enjoying its first years of freedom
- Text by Shelley Jones
- Photography by Geoffrey Hiller
Myanmar is a country in the throes of a cultural revolution. Since its sixty-year-long military dictatorship ended in 2011, and travel and economic sanctions are lifting, the Southeast Asian republic is entering a new era of democracy.
It’s a period of change captured sensitively by documentary photographer Geoffrey Hiller in his book Daybreak in Myanmar. Hiller, who has been shooting in the region since 1987, brings together 170 of his colour photographs in the tome to explore the “anticipation, hope and concerns of a nation forgotten by the world”.
As well as the images, the book includes text from well-known activists, writers and dissidents on topics such as native spirits and Buddhism, being arrested for blogging, and growing up in an ethnic village on the border. The resulting document paints a picture of Myanmar on the cusp of a great change.
Daybreak in Myanmar is available now from Hillier’s website.
Latest on Huck
This erotic zine dismantles LGBTQ+ respectability politics
Zine Scene — Created by Megan Wallace and Jack Rowe, PULP is a new print publication that embraces the diverse and messy, yet pleasurable multitudes that sex and desire can take.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As Tbilisi’s famed nightclubs reawaken, a murky future awaits
Spaces Between the Beats — Since Georgia’s ruling party suspended plans for EU accession, protests have continued in the capital, with nightclubs shutting in solidarity. Victor Swezey reported on their New Year’s Eve reopening, finding a mix of anxiety, catharsis and defiance.
Written by: Victor Swezey
Los Angeles is burning: Rick Castro on fleeing his home once again
Braver New World — In 2020, the photographer fled the Bobcat Fire in San Bernardino to his East Hollywood home, sparking the inspiration for an unsettling photo series. Now, while preparing for its exhibition, he has had to leave once again, returning to the mountains.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Ghais Guevara: “Rap is a pinnacle of our culture”
What Made Me — In our new series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that have shaped who they are. First up, Philadelphian rap experimentalist Ghais Guevara.
Written by: Ghais Guevara
Gaza Biennale comes to London in ICA protest
Art and action — The global project, which presents the work of over 60 Palestinian artists, will be on view outside the art institution in protest of an exhibition funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
Ragnar Axelsson’s thawing vision of Arctic life
At the Edge of the World — For over four decades, the Icelandic photographer has been journeying to the tip of the earth and documenting its communities. A new exhibition dives into his archive.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai