Htein Lin: "It made me totally free."
It is incredible to get a glimpse of the resounding human spirit that Htein Lin showed during his prison years, and which he discussed at length in a recent interview. In the following excerpt, he describes how he was able to not only maintain his artistic expression, but actually enhance it, as the solitary confinement gave him a sense of freedom he didn’t necessarily know while in society.
“So, that’s the freedom which I found in solitary confinement. With that freedom, the way of my imprisonment changed. Freedom inside!”
“I was really surprised after two or three paintings – I had to look back. I was so free. So, I was in prison; I I could not do any exhibition. I could not display any painting from here, because we had an agreement. I gave a promise to not make any show until my release from prison. So, that’s why I could not make any exhibition of art and there was actually not an art audience, not enough audience. My cellmates and the prison guards only. Also, I did not need to worry about somebody getting arrested because of my painting. Because I’m already [arrested] so I don’t need to worry about that! It made me totally free.
And when I saw that, I just kept on painting; I was really amazed. God, so nice! I had never had that with my painting. So, and then also I relaxed. I got a short “ah.” So, that’s the freedom which I found in solitary confinement. With that freedom, the way of my imprisonment changed. Freedom inside! Inner freedom is so important. So then I realized this is an opportunity, being in prison, to create something that really speaks new words. So, that’s why [during] this stay a lot of huge energy to continue to create, whatever problem which I faced.”