The Sound of Resistance
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“I really wanted to capture those sounds,” Li Li says. “In the recording, you may not see it, but this is massive! In reality, just imagine, the whole country is banging pots and pans at the same time, which conceptually, is louder than what you hear!”
Li Li, a Kachin artist now living in exile in Europe, has been using his art as a form of resistance against the military takeover, and as a medium to evoke empathy with the plight of his people. His work unflinchingly presents Myanmar’s harsh realities to a global audience, evoking events from his country’s struggle against an oppressive regime.
Conflict is a major theme of Li Li’s artistic work, and he notes that his life has been shaped by and uncertainty. Being ethnic Kachin, his family was no stranger to armed conflict with the Burmese military. His father, a soldier in the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), was killed when Li Li was just three years old. Raised by his mother, Li Li grew up in Bhamo, a town that remains a site of heavy fighting. His family frequently struggled with financial hardship and limited resources.
Li Li’s artistic journey actually began with music; he fell in love with the violin at age 11. Despite his family’s financial difficulties, he nurtured a dream, however unlikely it may have seemed, of being able to study abroad. After completing high school in Mandalay, he attempted to study law but soon shifted focus back to music, realizing it was his true passion.
And Li Li eventually realized his dream, a testament to his persistence and the kindness of mentors. He found support through a generous scholarship to study in Germany from “Bread for the World,” a non-partisan, Christian advocacy group. This assistance allowed him to enroll at Dr. Hoch’s Conservatory in Frankfurt, where he began his pre-college program in violin. Later, he joined the music academy in Kassel. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new culture and language, these opportunities broadened his artistic horizons and deepened his understanding of composition and sound.
But his artistic horizons broadened, and Li Li now develops immersive installations reflecting Myanmar’s struggles. One of his better-known projects is “Tan Bone” (Sound Pot), co-created with Joshua Weitzel and Sam Tsao and held in Germany and other European countries. It an immersive sound installation evoking the visceral reality of Myanmar’s struggles. Centered around the widespread use of pots and pans as symbols of resistance after the coup, the exhibit features actual pots and pans that had been banged by individuals who were later killed by the military. Banging pots and pans is rooted in Burmese culture as a way to ward off evil spirits—a fitting metaphor for driving away the “demonic” military forces.
Li Li, who was back in Myanmar during the time of the coup, began recording these protests, capturing the cacophony of sounds that symbolized collective defiance. But obtaining the actual pots and pans was perilous, requiring secrecy and extreme sensitivity when making contact with families of the deceased, and then collecting the objects without attracting military attention. Li Li described the experience as feeling like a “James Bond movie,” fraught with danger and subterfuge. “Sometimes I cannot go directly to [the family of the deceased],” he says. “They would make an appointment at their backyard or somewhere 100 feet away from their house. It was like smuggling something!” If the military had found him walking around Yangon carrying a bag of pots and pans during that period, he would have been in great danger.
The clash of the raw brutality depicted by Tan Bone and the sanitized spaces of European galleries often left viewers in disbelief, with some questioning whether the exhibits were fictional. “Some people even asked me, ‘Are these parts replicated, already made in Europe?’ And I said, ‘No, this is original!’ And they start shaking. I was like, ‘Oh, God, this is like real, real things.’” This reaction underscored for Li Li the profound gulf between the lived experiences of those struggling to survive in Myanmar, and the relatively sheltered nature of European life.
Another of Li Li’s impactful installations is “The Red Macadam,” which he designed to evoke the physical and emotional toll of resistance. Visitors walk barefoot on a pathway of red-colored stones, each representing a life lost in the protests. Motion sensors trigger the projection of victims’ names, accompanied by sound vibrations that alternate between whispers and loud declarations. “A lot of people come back to me and said that the sensation of stepping on the artwork stays a long time, because it's remembrance. Your brain will remember this sense, and then I assume that in the future, when they suddenly step on a stone, or they walk on the road, and then they are going remember my installation again.” This interactive experience forces participants to confront the weight of loss and the sacrifices made by protestors.
A different kind of piece, entitled “MOMERY OF STATEMENT,” critiques the ineffectiveness of international responses to Myanmar’s crisis. Set in an actual toilet—a space symbolizing both privacy and public necessity—this sound installation features over 20 recorded United Nations proclamations about Myanmar that express sympathy for the people and issues empty demands on the military. The exhibit juxtaposes that hollow rhetoric against protest slogans in Morse code to emphasize the disconnect; a rhythmic interplay of sound and flashing lights creates a space for reflection on the disparity between words of concern and meaningful action.
Li Li’s artistic output also includes live performances and experimental compositions. In “Pots and Pans: Resonating Resistance,” he combines field recordings with live improvisation on the violin, augmented by electronic elements. This performance immerses audiences in the fervor of protests while evoking a personal connection to the struggle. The inclusion of real-time, digital signal processing transforms raw protest sounds into a dynamic auditory experience.
In addition to his solo projects, Li Li co-founded an artist collective that emphasizes the role of sound as both protest and solidarity. “UNHEAR” is a collaborative sound installation created with artists and activists from refugee camps in India, Bangladesh and Kachin State. The exhibit’s title is a deliberate play on UNHCR—the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees—whose efficacy it calls out through its presentation of a makeshift tent modeled after those used in refugee camps, and featuring original objects and soundscapes made by displaced artists. UNHEAR invites audiences to engage with the lived realities of displaced persons while questioning the efficacy of UNHCR’s responses.
Exile has profoundly impacted Li Li’s life and art. Forced to leave Yangon after the military crackdown, he initially moved back to Kachin State where he helped establish a residency for persecuted artists. Later, with the support of international scholarships and residencies, he relocated to France. Despite being physically distant from his homeland, Li Li remains deeply connected to its struggles. His works serve as a lifeline to the ongoing fight for democracy, preserving the memory of those who sacrificed their lives.
Throughout his career, Li Li has received recognition for his contributions to art and activism. His projects have been exhibited at prestigious venues such as Documenta Fifteen in Kassel and the DAAD Gallery in Berlin. In 2024, “The Red Macadam” received an honorary mention at the Ars Electronica awards, highlighting the global relevance of his work.
“I hope [my art] reminds you that Myanmar is still in a difficult time, and more than ever, now it's even worse! And that it is reminding that we still exist in this hardship, and it's in this really hard situation.”
If you would like to listen to past episodes from our archive that touch upon similar themes, we suggest the following:
· Nyein Chan May feels that the revolution in Myanmar is not just against military oppression, but also against the entrenched patriarchy within the resistance. Her advocacy, which takes the form of art installations in Germany, showcases the need for intersectional feminism that emphasizes how women confront gender and systemic social inequalities. To her, women’s defiance represents both political and personal acts of courage.
· Bart Was Not Here describes how his art blends humor, storytelling, and eclectic influences to critique and reflect on societal norms in Myanmar. His approach reinterprets cultural symbols to challenge oppression, creating dialogue and reflection on critical topics.
· Chuu Wai Nyein talks about her evolution as an painter, which reflects her own artistic journey from classical realism to feminist works that critique gender roles in Myanmar society. Her focus on the intersection of women’s lives with revolutionary protests connects cultural tradition with urgent calls for equity and change.
· Min Ma Naing discusses her transformation from teacher trainer, to photojournalist, to artist as being driven by the desire to document stories of resistance, particularly from a feminist perspective. Her work underscores the importance of showcasing marginalized voices, and uses innovative storytelling techniques to address trauma.
· Moe’s photojournalistic philosophy is to live alongside his subjects so he can more authentically capture the realities of Myanmar’s struggles. His commitment to people-focused narratives highlights the power of individual stories within broader societal upheaval, blending art with activism.