Thoe Htein

Born in Yangon, Myanmar, in 1980, Thoe Htein is a visual artist. He studied visual arts and painting under the renowned Burmese painter Kin Maung Yin. Over the years, he has developed a strong interest in Pop Art and comics. His Pop Art style is shaped by both local and international influences — particularly the Burmese artist Phyoe Kyi and American Pop Art icon Roy Lichtenstein. In the world of comics, his major inspirations include Sergio Toppi, Frank Miller, and Ashley Wood.

Since 2001, Thoe Htein has illustrated numerous book covers and editorial works for various publishing houses. He has been actively participating in both solo and group exhibitions since 2012, nationally and internationally — in Myanmar, Thailand, South Korea, and France. In 2012, he co-founded Art+Plug, an art platform created with his friends to support artistic exchange and collaboration.

His artistic practice is often rooted in political themes and current events. In his 2021 comic diary, he openly condemned the Burmese military coup and expressed solidarity with the Civil Disobedience Movement. In 2022, he took part in the 41st Salon International de la Caricature, du Dessin de Presse et d’Humour in Saint-Just-le-Martel.

His work has also been featured in several significant group exhibitions, including Never Give Up at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Doh Ayay! at POUSH, Aubervilliers (2023), Artchives at La Contemporaine, Paris (2023), and My Life is Pale at Festival Visions d’Exil: Censure, Centre Culturel POUSH, Paris (2024).

Since arriving in France in 2022, Thoe Htein has been based in Paris. He is a member of the Agency of Artists in Exile and, in 2025, joined the Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience (VAE) program for the Diplôme National d’Arts Plastiques at ESADHaR, Rouen campus.