Portraits of Myanmar

In Portraits of Myanmar the photographs put the full focus on the people of this Golden Land, offering a glimpse of daily life: families sharing everyday tasks of working on the land, or at a trade or managing household chores; school students studying and playing sport; communities celebrating special days of the religious calendar, groups of friends relaxing, involved in games or sharing a meal.

Although there are some landscapes included in this full-colour photo book about Myanmar, the focus is on the people of this Golden Land. The intimate portraits show the details of what people are doing, capturing the expression and character of individual faces; the enchanting face of a young girl, her face painted with thanakha to enhance her charm, the cheeky expression of a young boy, the tender smile of a mother or father as they play with their children, the wisdom etched into the wrinkles of an elderly person musing on the antics of family members.

Anthropologist, teacher, photographer, and writer, Joanna MacLean taught in her native country New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, and England before beginning her International Red Cross career that spanned 28 years. From 2002-2005, she was Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Delegation in Myanmar, and she also worked in Africa, and the Caribbean as well as in the Geneva HQ. Moving to Chiang Mai, Thailand, she co-owned and managed art galleries from 2004 to 2016. She is an Advisor to ‘Skills for Life,’ a foundation which provides vocational training for underprivileged youth from around Chiang Mai. And as an advisor to the Naka Foundation and a founding member of the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group (ACEWG), Joanna is closely involved with elephant conservation and welfare. In 2016, Two Eggs and a Lemon, her book about her years in Myanmar, was published by Marrowstone Press. Joanna’s photography and books are also available on her website: www.joannamaclean.com.