If you’re down for an eye-opening visual experience, join the crowds at Project 189 Friday night for the reception of “Built on their Backs,” a documentary photography project by Andre Malerba. The project covers a year in the life of Naing Lin’s brick-maker family who, like many other families, were the building blocks of Myanmar, but are excluded from its future.
“Built on their Backs” displays not only modern-day Yangon, but also the lives of those among the grassroots, such as that of Naing and his wife, Than Nwe. The family resides in the brick factory where they work, and rely on the bricks as a literal means of survival. In the beginning, these bricks, to them, symbolized the promise of work. However, the family fell into debt and were unable to leave the factory for a better life.
In short, Malerba’s project shines light on hidden figures — those whose identities have been lost in the chaos of development and transition. It depicts the lives of those who have contributed to the foundation of the country’s progress, but receive nothing in return.
FIND IT:
Built on their Backs by Andre Malerba
May 26, 6:30pm
Project 189
Soi Nana
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