Soe Yu Nwe

Born 1989, Shan State, Myanmar
Currently lives and works in Yangon, Myanmar
 
Education
2015
Master of Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, USA
2013
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Albion College, MI, USA
 
Solo Exhibitions
2020
‘Hybridized Beings | Naga Medaw’, Myanm/art, Yangon, Myanmar
2019
‘Rebirth | Enigmatic Bodies’, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA, USA
2018
‘Serpentine’, Myanm/art, Yangon, Myanmar
2016
‘Soe Yu Nwe’, Myanm/art, Yangon, Myanmar
2017
‘The Self Reconfigured’, Munro Gallery, Albion College, MI, USA
 
Group Exhibitions
2024
‘Against the Tide: Myanmar Art in the Moment’, Karin Weber Gallery. London, UK
2023
‘The Open World’, Thailand Biennale, Chiang Rai, Thailand
‘Burma to Myanmar’, The British Museum, UK
‘New Eden’, Artscience Museum, Singapore
‘How Many Worlds are We’, Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok, Thailand
‘Strength in Fragility: an Exhibition by the Women Artists in Myanmar’, Goethe Institute, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Fighting Fear (Part 2) #whatshappeninginmyanmar’, 16albermarle Project Space, Sydney, Australia
2022
‘Our Grandfather Road: The (gendered) body and place in contemporary southeast Asian art’, 16albermarle Project Space, Sydney, Australia
‘Care’, Goethe Institute, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Universe One: Portal to an impossible City’, Myanm/art, Myanmar
‘Shi’, Goethe Institute, Yangon, Myanmar
2021
KONNECT ASEAN Art on Paper, ASEAN Culture House, Busan, Korea
‘This Time: Contemporary Watercolor’, A+ Works of Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
‘Myanmar Voices: We Are Still Here’, Karin Weber Gallery, HK
‘A Life Beyond Boundaries: Geography of Belonging’, JWD Art Space, Bangkok, Thailand
‘Fighting Fear: #whatshappeninginmyanmar’, 16albermarle Project Space, Sydney, Australia
‘Reminiscence: A Southeast Asian Female Artists Exhibition’, The 54th NCECA Concurrent Virtual Exhibition, USA
‘Vectors: The Artaxis Fellowship in its First Four Years’, NCECA Concurrent Virtual Exhibition, USA
‘Temperature of Time: Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition’, Shenzhen Creative Week, Shenzhen, China
2020
‘In the Forest, Even the Air Breathes’, GAMeC, Bergamo, Italy
‘Essentialist Images’, Richard Koh Fine Arts, Singapore
‘Wrapped Womxn’, Myanm/art, Yangon, Myanmar

2019
‘A+ Entrees’, A+Works of Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
‘Polyphony: Southeast Asia’, The Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts (AMNUA), Nanjing, China
A+ Works of Art at Art Expo Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
‘ClayFest Northwest’, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA, USA
Resident Artists Exhibition, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA, USA
‘To Return’, Na Space, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China
Sovereign Asian Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, Hart Hall at H Queen, HK
‘Silence is Golden: Contemporary Myanmar Art after Political Change’, Japan Foundation, Myanmar ‘Ceramics Invitational’, Central Washington University, WA, USA
‘Seeing Through Buddhism: Myanmar’s Contemporary Art Scene’, Theertha Red Dot Gallery, Sri Lanka
2018
The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9), Queensland Art Gallery (QAGOMA), Brisbane, Australia
‘A Gifted Offering’, Eutectic Gallery, Portland, OR, USA
‘Art in Context’, The American Center of the U.S. Embassy, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Working Relationship’, North Seattle College Art Gallery, Seattle, WA, USA
‘East Side West Side: All Around the Town’, ArtEAST, Issaquah, WA, USA
‘ClayFest Northwest’, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA, USA
Yavuz Gallery at Art Fairs Philippines, Manila, Philippines
‘Bearing Points’, The Dhaka Art Summit, Dhaka, Bangladesh
‘Love Knots’, Drive-by Projects, Watertown, MA, USA
‘Speaking Out: 9 Artists from Myanmar’, Gallery Route One, Pt. Reyes, CA, USA
2017
‘Voices of Transition: Contemporary Art from Myanmar’, Lunn + Sgarbossa Projects, London, UK
A City in Dialogue with the World – 2017 Jingpiao International Ceramic Exhibition, Jingdezhen China Ceramic Museum, Jingdezhen, China
‘ClayFest Northwest’, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA, USA
‘Beyond Narrative’, curated by Moe Satt, Wathann Film Festt #7, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Clayfest Northwest Preview: A Survey of Contemporary Ceramics from Pottery Northwest’, Seattle, WA, USA
‘Sculptured, Vol. 1’, Yavuz Gallery, Singapore
‘Artist Beyond Boundaries: Myanmar Artists Reflect on Art and the Future’, The American Center of the U.S. Embassy, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Mud of Asia’, RMA Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
‘Flux: Ceramics Triennial’, Woods-Gerry Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI, USA
2016
‘Ways of Clay: Perspectives Toward the Future’, The 4th Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale,
National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
‘The Tree of Life: the 4th Southeast Asian Ceramics Exhibition’, Ayala Museum, Makati, Philippines
Selected Work: Group Exhibition, River Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar
‘Me and My Arrow’, ZieherSmith, Chelsea, NY, USA
22nd Annual Juried Exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Arts, Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Jurors: Max Presneill and David Bailey)
‘Nature Gone Wrong’, Drive-By Projects, Watertown, MA, USA
2015
12th Annual Marge Brown Kalodner Graduate Student Exhibition, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA
‘Spring Wound’ (Graduate Thesis Exhibition), Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, RI, USA Kinsey Institute Juried Art Show, The Grunwald Gallery of Art, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
‘Of Earth’ (locally generated NCECA exhibition), Anchor Providence, Providence, RI, USA
‘Risky’, Metcalf Galleries, RISD, Providence, RI, USA
‘Paper Chasers’, Memorial Hall Gallery, RISD, Providence RI, USA
The 30th Positive Negative National Juried Art Exhibit, Uncanny Valley, The Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, TN, USA (Juror: Dr. Mika Yoshitake)
2014
‘Biomimicry’, Science Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
‘Steal This Art’, Granoff Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
‘College Collective’, Firehouse Gallery, Genesee Pottery, Rochester, NY (Jurors: Will Contino, Mitch Messina)
‘Just Kiln Me’, Sol Koffler Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI, USA
‘The Jenks Society for the Lost Museum in collaboration with artist Mark Dion’, Rhode Island Hall, Providence, RI, USA
2013
‘Ceramics Triennial’, Woods-Gerry Gallery, RISD, Providence, RI, USA
Albion College Senior Art Major Exhibition, Albion College, MI, USA
Michigan Small Colleges Art Exhibition, Alma College, Alma, MI, USA
The Michigan Mud Juried Student Competition, Michigan Ceramic Arts Association, Delta College, MI, USA
2012
‘Michigan Ceramics: 2012 Biennial Exhibition and Competition’, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI, USA (Juror: John Glick)
 
Honors and Awards
2020
Young Alumni Award, Albion College, MI, USA
2019
Forbes 30 Under 30: Art & Style, USA List (Jurors: Tory Burch, Nicole Miller, Carter Cleveland)
Finalist, The 2019 Sovereign Asia Art Prize, HK
Ruth & Mickey Gribin Scholarship, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA, USA
2018
Full Scholarship Award, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
The Anna Rosser Upchurch Memorial Full Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts, North Carolina, USA George Van Ostrand Scholarship, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, MA, USA
2017
Artaxis Fellowship at Haystack, Deer Isle, MA, USA (Jurors: Linda Arbuckle, Steven Lee and Linda Lopez)
nominated Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design Post Graduate Teaching Fellowship, AICAD, USA
2016
First Prize, The 1st Taoxichuan Cup: Porcelain City Top Ten Youth, Jingdezhen Municipal Party Committee, Jingdezhen, China
nominated Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design Post Graduate Teaching Fellowship, AICAD, USA
Artistic Selection Award, Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2015
Ceramic Wintersession Residency Award, Ceramic Department, RISD, RI, USA
The Friends of Lake Burton Distinguished Fellowship, The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences, GA, USA
nominated Toby Devan Lewis Award ($10,000 Cash Award), RISD, RI, USA
2014
Clay Club Scholarship, RISD, RI, USA
Departmental Representative for Art School Haystack Collaborative, Ceramic Department, RISD, RI, USA
2013
RISD Scholarship and Fellowship, Ceramic Department, RISD, RI, USA
Outstanding Senior Art Major Award, Albion College, MI, USA
Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Albion College, MI, USA
2012
Scholarship Award, Michigan Ceramic Art Association, MI, USA
Third Place Award, Michigan Small Colleges Exhibition, Olivet College, MI, USA
Honorable Mention, Michigan Small Colleges Exhibition, Olivet College, MI, USA
2011
Outstanding Ceramic Entry, Runyon Pottery Award, Michigan Ceramic Art Association, MI, USA
Williemae Cheek Endowed Scholarship, Albion College, MI, USA
2009
Albion College International Scholarship, Albion College, MI, USA

Artist In Residence
2024
Guest Artist, The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
2021
Polytopia: Virtual Residency, Co-iki, Japan
2020
Virtual360 Konnect: Emerging Arts Leaders Residency, Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)
2019
Pottery Northwest Residency, Seattle, WA, USA
2018
Pottery Northwest Residency, Seattle, WA, USA
Open Studio Residency, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, USA
Artist-in-residence, Lab Artz, Jingdezhen, China
Artist-in-residence, Taoxichuan JAEA International Art Center, Jingdezhen, China
2017
Pottery Northwest Residency, Seattle, WA, USA
Shangyu Celadon Modern International Ceramic Center, Shaoxing County, Zhejiang, China
Jingdezhen International Studio Residency, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China
2016
The 4th Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale Residency Program, Jakarta, Indonesia
Summer Visiting Artist, California State University, Long Beach, CA, USA
Philip C. Curtis Artist-in-Residence, Albion College, Albion, MI, USA
Ceramic Wintersession Resident Artist, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, USA
2015
Artist in Residence, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, USA
Visiting Artist, California State University, Long Beach, CA, USA
Working Artist in Residence (WARP), ArtPark, Lewiston, NY, USA
 
Publications (selected)
Toto, Abhijan. “A Life Beyond Boundaries (The Geography of Belonging)”, ArtForum, Sep, 2021. Kupferman-Sutthavong, Adriane. “A Life Beyond Boundaries (The Geography of Belonging),” ArtAsiaPacific, 30 Sep, 2021.
Jarry, Rémy. “Blurring the Borders of Southeast Asian Art in Bangkok,” Ocula Magazine, 11 Aug, 2021. Wei Sarah, “Artists in Myanmar Respond to the Zeitgeist,” Ocula Magazine, 4 Aug, 2021
Nwe, Soe Yu. “Cobo Social et al. 2: Artists on Artists,” Cobo Social, May, 2021. Print.
Ma, Martine, and Yuna Lee. “Artists in Myanmar Unite for Democracy,” ArtAsiaPacific, 22 Feb, 2021.
Win, Thin Lei. “Young, creative and angry: Myanmar’s youth pushes back,” Nikkei Asia, 19 Feb, 2021. Johnston, Nathalie. “The Artists Fighting for a Different Future in Myanmar,” Frieze, 19 Feb, 2021.
Nwe, Soe Yu, and Nayoung Jeong. “Virtual360 Konnect: Bounded Women.” ASEF culture360. Asia- Europe Foundation, November 25, 2020.
Guha, Pujita. “Opium Tales.” Nero Editions, 28 Oct 2020.
Dansby, Daneva. 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Sculpture Magazine, 25 Feb 2020. Hybridized Beings on Show at Myanm/art, The Myanmar Times, Issue 1245, Mar 6 2020. Print.
Sone, Min Pyae. “Bowing to the Dragon Queen,” Frontier, Vol 6, Issue 1, 46-47. Print.
Mythology Comes Alive in this New Ceramic Exhibit, Myanmar Mix, 25 Feb 2020.
Starr, Marie. “Documenting Contemporary Art in an Era of Cultural Evolution,” The Irrawaddy, 15 May 2019.
Tun, San Lin. “Event focuses on changes in Myanmar art landscape,” The Myanmar Times, 07 May, 2019.
Lu, Tharman. A sculptor that gives form to voices of pain- ceramic artist, Soe Yu Nwe, MODA Myanmar Magazine, April issue, 2019, Print.
Aung Myat Htay, Silence is Golden: Contemporary Myanmar Art after Political Change, Magazine and DVD, May 2019, Print.
Clark, Issy D’Arcy. Cover Story “The Golden Girl of Contemporary Art,” Myanmore, Magazine #28, 14-17, Feb 2019, Print.
Tun, San Lin. “The Charms and Enigma of Serpents,” The Myanmar Times, 31 Dec 2018.
Wu, Toby. “Soe Yu Nwe’s new ‘Serpentine’ works at Myanm/art,” Art and Market, 15 Dec 2018.
Starr, Marie. “Identity and Transformation–International Ceramics Artist Comes Home,” The Irrawaddy, 12 Dec 2018.
Fortescue, Elizabeth. “Queensland museum will receive major boost from ninth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art,” The Art Newspaper, 22 Nov 2018.
Phyoe, Aung. “List of Films/Documentaries Directed by Women Filmmakers Screened at Wathann Film Festival”, 3- ACT: 9 Issue Cinema Magazine. Nov 2018 Issue 2, Vol 1, 53-54, Print.
“9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art”, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Nov 2018. Print.
Lesser, Casey. “The Best Places to Take Ceramic Classes in the U.S,” Artsy, 22 Jun 2018.
Almanac 2018, Arts Asia Pacific, Vol. 13, Jan 2018. 145. Print.
“The “gold standard” for art in South Asia: Dhaka Art Summit 2018”, Art Radar, 7 Feb 2018.
Spence, Rachel. “Dhaka Art Summit: art that’s charged with a powerful current,” Financial Times, 6 Feb 2018.
Freeman, Nate. “Artist List Revealed for Fourth Edition of Dhaka Art Summit,” Artnews, 24 Nov 2017. Harper, Brian. “Soe Yu Nwe, 2017 Artaxis Fellow, at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts,” Artaxis News, 9 Aug 2017.
Wai Yan Aung. “Art that Highlights Changes in Myanmar Politics”, Irrawady Burma, 20 Jun 2017.
Harper, Brian. “Soe Yu Nwe is the 2017 Artaxis Fellow,” Artaxis News, 22 Mar 2017.
Mendoza, Hadrian. “Tree of Life: 4th Southeast Asian Ceramic Festival,” New Ceramics: The European Ceramic Magazine, Issue 4, 44-45, Print.
Johnston, Nathalie. “MYANM/ART,” Balmond Studio Blog, 17 Mar 2017.
Kalish, Lillian. “Ceramic artist snakes into Myanmar with debut show”, The Myanmar Times, 3 Feb 2017. Print.
Twenty for ’20, Io Triumphe! , Albion College. Fall Winter 2016- 2017 Issue, 20. Print.
Gautama, Nia. “Discovering New Ceramics Through Residencies,” Sarasvati Art Communication and Publication. January 2017 Issue, 80. Print.
C.A. Xuan Mai Ardia. “11 Artists from the Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale 2016,” Art Radar Journal, 20 Dec 2016.
Indra, Rahman. “Dazzled in Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale 2016”, CNN Indonesia, 8 Dec 2016. Nwe, Soe Yu. “Cold Bloom”, Yangon Literary Magazine, Issue 1, Dec 2016. Print.
Kalish, Lillian. “Ceramic artist finds her place”, The Myanmar Times, 29 Sep 2016. Print.
Kalish, Lillian. “Hands on: Prominent artist returns to Golden Land”, The Myanmar Times, 27 Sep 2016. Print.
“Josh Jefferson and More @ ZieherSmith in NYC”, Juxtapox Art & Culture Magazine, 15 Jul 2016.
The Albion Review: National Undergraduate Literary Journal. Saline: McNaughton and Gunn. 2016 (also in 2013 and 2012).
“Exhibit Promotes Cultural Exchange Through Art”, Beverly Press, 12 May 2016.
Gonzalez, Suzy., and Minter, Elle., eds. Yes, Ma’am, Issue 09. 2016.
Nwe, Soe Yu, and Jason Martin. “The Patroness.” Modern American Prints from the Albion College Collection. S.l.: Celandine, 2015. 36-40. Print.
Maloni, Joshua. Artpark is Putting the Art back in the Park, Niagara Frontier Publications, 19 Jun 2015.
RISD XYZ, Spring/Summer 2015, RISD Alumni Magazine. Jun 2015.
Dabowski, Collin. “New Program Aims to put “Art” back in Artpark”, Buffalo News. 6 Jun 2015.
Nwe, Soe Yu. “The Self Reconfigured” (2015). Masters Thesis, RISD. 30 May 2015.
Silander, Liisa. Great Big Show Now Opens, Our RISD, a place to show and tell. RISD. 19 May 2015. Creative Quarterly 39 runner-up, Online Gallery. 2015. (also in 2013)
Frasca, Jacqueline, ed. East Coast Ink: Roots. Issue 006. 20 Mar 2015. 6, 25, 40-42, 47-48. Print. Solondz, Simone. Soe Yu Nwe MFA’15 Cr Critique Review. Our RISD, a place to show and tell. RISD. 16 Dec 2014.
Crocker, Abigail. “Ceramics for the Self.” RISD News. 2 Dec 2014.
Crocker, Abigail. “Exploring Life in a Drop of Water.” RISD News. 9 Sep 2014.
RISD Portfolios Online Gallery, Featured on 17 Mar 2014.
“Nwe Receives Statewide Ceramics Award.” Albion College News. 19 Jul 2012.
Weber, Jake. “Albion Art Student Wins Prize at Michigan Mud Biennial.” Albion College News. 11 Nov 2011.
Quizon, Derek. “Liberal Arts Colleges Attract Burmese Students.” USA TODAY EDUCATION. 25 Jul 2011.
 
Collections
The British Museum, UK
Queensland Art Gallery Collection, Brisbane, Australia
New Taipei City Yingge Ceramic Museum, Taiwan
Artpark, NY, USA
Shangyu Museum, Zhejiang, China