Borderline Café, Shop & Gallery

On Thursday 7th May, Borderline gallery will open a solo exhibition of Burmese artist Win Htet entitled Kaleidoscope. This unique exhibition showcases his diverse portfolio of work, that explores both traditional and modern images through a mixture of mediums and styles. From striking charcoal portraits to gentle acrylic landscapes and bright abstracts, we as the viewer are invited to follow him through his personal artistic journey.

Please join us to enjoy the show and meet the artist at the opening reception taking place at our Gallery from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Thursday 7th May. The exhibition will be on until 22 May 2009.

Complimentary Burmese refreshments will be provided by Borderline Tea Shop.

Kaleidoscope art works

The MY STORY photo project’s fourth annual exhibit opened at Borderline Gallery in Mae Sot on Thursday, April 9, 6 – 9 p.m.  29 students from Mandalay, Nu Poe, and the Karen Youth Organization, as well as migrant school principals exhibited 58 images that tell their stories. Children, fields, markets, weaving, cooking, flowers, and street life are colorfully represented in this show that runs from April 9 through April 27.

For the first time this year, Nat and Susan Tileston, project directors, have trained 9 former students to give the photo workshops in Burmese and Karen. We hope the MY STORY photo project will have a life beyond us, says Susan. Teaching and learning are a lot quicker in one’s native language.

The  MY STORY photo project (MSppa)  gives digital cameras and basic photo instruction to small groups of Burmese and Karen living at the border and beyond.  Students take hundreds and hundreds of photos which they look at and critique as a group. They then edit their work down to 2 images from each student for the Borderline show. From the Borderline Gallery, the show then travels to Canada and the USA. Prints are for sale, with half the proceeds going to the photographer and half going to the MY STORY photo project for the purchase of new cameras.

MSppa is supported by Karen Youth Organization, helpwithoutfrontiers, Borderline Gallery, and the MY STORY photo project association.

For the opening reception, we offered traditional Burmese food and drinks supported by Borderline Tea Shop. As usual the opening reception was held in the evening between 6:00pm and 9:00pm.

For further information please visit: msppa or mystoryphotoproject.

MY STORY photo project 4 art works

In 2008 Wayne Boucher, a Canadian abstract artist, joined the Borderline team as Artist in Residence.
Wayne worked closely with artists in the community and children from local migrant schools; exploring painting techniques, developing skills and exchanging ideas.

His time with Borderline was a huge success; so we would like to share with you the details of his newest exhibition in Fredericton, Canada.

The opening reception will be held at Ingrid Mueller Art and Concepts Gallery on April 3rd (Reception 5pm to 7pm) and the show will continue until April 28th. The exhibition includes recent works by Wayne Boucher, Susan Feindel, and a retrospective of works by the late Gordon Dunphy. Address: 117 York Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Also, please check out some of the new works on Wayne Boucher.

The Nurturing Women March 5th – March 19th 2009
Opening on March 5th in honor of International Women’s day; Borderline is proud to showcase a unique exhibition of female artist’s work.
Our talented artists are a blend of those who are both members of Borderline and also the works of those who work in the wider community here in Mae Sot.

The exhibition explored traditional and modern interpretations of Burma through a woman’s eyes – utilizing a mixture of mediums ranging from gentle watercolors, rich acrylics and oils to photography.

Opening reception was held in the evening between 6.00 and 9.00pm.

Complimentary Burmese refreshments provided by the Borderline Tea Shop.

The Nurturing Women art works

On Thursday 5th February, Borderline Gallery opened a special duos exhibition titled Two Wings, showcasing the work of two Burmese artists . This is La Sam first show with one of his good artist friends Saw Wi Htun. They would like to fly together, spreading their wings, sharing their works with art lovers.

Opening reception: You are invited to join us and meet the artists at the opening reception taking place at our Gallery from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Thursday 5th February. The exhibition will be on until 28 February 2009.

Two Wings art works

On Wednesday 17th December, Borderline opened a special exhibition titled Karen Heritage Textiles showcasing the work of Vicky Bamforth and Saw Yeh Htoo Chit.

Karen Heritage Textiles is a photographic and textile exhibition that celebrates historic Karen cloth from Burma and Thailand. Focusing on richly decorated wedding cloths, this exhibition unfolds the secrets of traditional homespun; revealing myths surrounding stitches, uncovering recipes for dyeing cotton and displaying historic clothes, one-off pieces painstakingly woven for special occasions.

Together with portraits of Karens and the homespun their families have preserved over generations, and more than half a century of conflict, the exhibition provides fascinating insights into textile production, and the lives of those living in the Karen hills of Burma and Thailand from the early 20th century.

Textiles were collected and photographed for the exhibition by Vicky Bamforth, a photographer and writer based in the UK and Thailand, whose work has appeared in Marie Claire, Geographical magazine, The Times, Disasters, and Forced Migration Review and Saw Yeh Htoo Chit, an ethnic Karen based in the UK and Thailand, who studied documentary photography and still life and works as a lighting specialist on fashion and commercial shoots in the UK.

Opening reception: You are invited to join us and meet the artists at the opening reception taking place at Borderline Gallery from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Wednesday 17th December. The exhibition will be on until 31 December 2008.

Karen Heritage Textiles art works

Regularly, on the first Thursday of the month we have special exhibition opening but in this month our special show will be on 17 December. From November 21 to December 16, the Borderline Gallery shows art works by members of her collective. An eclectic collection of works is exhibited. Expect charcoal paintings, water colors, oils and acrylics.

The gallery is open every day except Monday, from 10 am to 6 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm on Sunday. Sein Sein Lin is around to give information on artists and works, and other artists regularly drop by.

General Show art works