The spy who Loves Art

Myanmar’s once most feared spy chief U Khin Nyunt has opened an art gallery and coffee shop at his leafy Yangon residence, where he also spent several years as a prisoner of the previous regime. In May the former prime minister began welcoming members of the public into a beautiful eden-like garden area with fruit trees, rare flowers and a space where artists can exhibit their work.

“I feel peace now, but I wanted to experience it more,” the one-time spymaster told The Irrawaddy. U Khin Nyunt was accused of gross human rights abuses during his time in government, but now that he’s out of office he’s trying to find some zen—by getting in touch with his artistic side.

U Khin Nyunt has had numerous visitors—mostly elderly Myanmars—to his “Nawaday Art Gallery” since he opened it to the public in mid-May.

In an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy, he said he wanted to bring peace to his life by helping others, including Myanmar artists.

“There are people who are good painters,” he said. “I wanted to help them. They can exhibit their work here without charge.

“A lot of tourists are visiting our country now as we have political change,” he continued. “This will be a place where tourists can come and buy good paintings, or I will help our Myanmar artists to export their work and sell it to foreign countries.”

Ironically, under U Khin Nyunt’s secret police department many artists were imprisoned under highly restrictive censorship regulations. Few would have predicted U Khin Nyunt’s new incarnation as a gallery owner with a love of art and a desire to support local artists.