U Dipa presents Dr Zaw Sein Lwin with the donation

FIVE local artists have donated their work to the mental-health hospital in Dagon township to assist with the rehabilitation of patients.

Nine watercolour and oil paintings were donated to the mental hospital’s gallery, which opened last October.

This is the third time artists U Dipa, Khin Than Phyu, May, Daw Khin Win Kyi and U Tin Aung Htike, have made a donation to the hospital’s art therapy program.

They also presented the hospital with K150,000 to buy art supplies.

“Patients can enjoy the paintings in the gallery and they can draw their own paintings here,” said Khin Than Phyu, adding that the hospital would welcome donations of paper, paint and pastels.

“We have found art therapy to be very successful,” he said.

“The patients enjoy it and even though they suffer from mental disorders, some of their work is very good and meaningful,” Khin Than Phyu said.

The gallery now contains 50 artworks by professional artists and more than 30 pictures drawn by patients using pastels on rough paper.

Explaining how the gallery came about, Khin Than Phyu said, “(Hospital superintendent) Dr Zaw Sein Lwin wanted to set up an art gallery to help treat patients through art therapy and we as artists wanted to play a beneficial role in the community.”

“I’m glad I have gotten the chance to exhibit my work to patients with mental disorders. I welcome the chance to help these people through my work,” Myat Kyawt said.

“We want them to have a meaningful life. We hope their low spirits will be brightened up through our contribution and the activities they do as part of art therapy,” U Dipa added.

He told the Myanmar Times he is planning to organise an exhibition of the patient’s drawings in his own gallery, ACD, soon.