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| Maung Maung Hla Myint |
One of many advertisements created
by Maung Maung /Hla Myint. |
“I ALWAYS wanted to be an artist when I was younger. I
prayed that I would make it,” U Maung Maung Hla Myint, a
popular photographer and designer, said.
As one of Myanmars best known billboard and album cover designers,
U Maung Maung Hlau Myint cannot complain.
The artist said he stumbled upon his career in photography in
1971. He attributed this to Karma.
“When my friend and director Maung Maung Myint made the
film Mone Yit Lay Ohn (You can still hate me) in central Myanmar,
I was there to do some paintings. Coincidently they did not have
a photographer there so I ended up taking all the black and white
photos for the film,” U Maung Maung Hla Myint said.
Since then, photography has been a big part of his life, which
he said has come in handy for his commercial work.
In 1989 U Maung Maung Hla Myint hit the big time and a television
commercial director and since then he has made hundreds of popular
commercials. He was the first MTV director in Myanmar and when
he directed the songs for Zaw Win Htut’s album Ywet Hlwint
Chin (Sailing) in 1989, his style was so innovative, everyone
thought he was crazy.
Alongside the late rock singer Min Min Latt, U Maung Maung Hla
Myint was the first director of a movie exclusively featuring
Myanmar actors and actresses.
“We never expected a profit, we just wanted to try something
new,” he said.
But due to technical problems their film never came out and
U Maung Maung Hla Myint became less interested in photography
and directing.
“I had to work with so many different people with different
influences, that I was always disappointed with the end product.
I do not put up with that any more. Now I stick to my paintings,”
he said.
“I had been very successful in my early career and I got
a lot of recognition. But it had been 30 years since I had done
any painting, and I decided it was time that I got back to it.
“You know, anyone can take a photo with a camera. But
to create painting you need style. I value paintings more.
“When you create a painting, you start with nothing and
create something using good composition, colours, paints and strokes.
With photography, you already have your subject.”
Despite earning a lot of money from his work as a director,
U Maung Maung Hla Myint said the money he earns now is sweeter.
