BayBay, My Universe, 2019

My Universe is a visual diary by the Myanmar artist BayBay. BayBay had it rough in recent years and has spent a lot of time in hospital recovering from severe alcoholism. My Universe was created on her hospital bed expressing her inner feelings, battling with her condition and abandonment of her family. “Every moment is difficult. It’s not easy for me to think. It’s not easy for me to sleep, to talk…. It’s not even easy for me to drink… I don’t enjoy life. It’s too difficult to enjoy life.” Her work is a wonderful escape of dark thoughts and paths into imagery that speaks of colours, air, light and the zest for life. Bay Bay takes us on journey into her inner struggle and creates a narrative rarely seen in Myanmar as alcoholism and addiction is very much a taboo subject.