Apyodaw Yain (Spirit Maiden Dance), by Htein Lin

A-pyo-daw Yein (Maid of Honour Dance)

In prison, men and women are strictly segregated, both staff and prisoners, with almost no chance to cross paths. To bring the presence of women into their prison life, Htein Lin began painting female figures.

A recurring figure in his work is the A-pyo-daw, drawn from traditional Burmese theater. The a-pyo-daw dance is a key spiritual ritual performed at the start of a show to propitiate the nats, or spirits, thereby to ensure that the performance goes smoothly. It is also known as the la-maing dance, named after the la-maing nat who needs to be propitiated for success before a performance, but also when embarking on other actions in rural areas such as ploughing, or a trip by water.

Though elegant, the dance is precise and technically demanding. Every part of the dancer’s body, their hips, shoulders, and chest, moves according to defined forms, showcasing nearly the full choreography of traditional Burmese dance in a single piece. The dancers wear their hair loose and carry red Eugenia leaves, their bodies flowing with disciplined grace. Their group choreography symbolizes unity and harmony. In Htein Lin’s prison paintings, these gestures are created by using circular prints made with bottle caps and lids, then linked with lines drawn using a lighter wheel, mapping in a space of confinement, the remembered movements of the dancers.