Talk with Vicky Bowman and Melanie Pocock

Join us for a talk with Vicky Bowman, former British Ambassador to Myanmar and wife of artist Htein Lin, and Melanie Pocock, Artistic Director (Exhibitions), Ikon.

During this event they discuss Htein Lin’s artistic practice, his experience of incarceration as a political prisoner and the resilience and healing that is ever present in his exhibition at Ikon Gallery.  

This event is organised to coincide with Htein Lin’s exhibition Escape (20 March – 1 June). This exhibition is supported by the British Council through the Connections Through Culture grants programme and ai. gallery. 

About the speakers 

Melanie Pocock, Artistic Director (Exhibitions), Ikon, leads on the gallery’s exhibition programme, publications, and, with the wider team, off-site projects. Curated exhibitions include Friends in Love and War – L’Éloge des meilleur·es ennemi·es(2024-25), a collaboration with macLYON and the British Council Collection; Horror in the Modernist Block (2022-23), an exhibition of work by 20 UK and international contemporary artists exploring the relationship between architectural modernism and horror; and major presentations by leading Southeast Asian artists Melati Suryodarmo and Mit Jai Inn. Pocock moved to Ikon in 2020 from her previous position as Assistant Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore (ICA), prior to which she held curatorial positions at Modern Art Oxford and Art Scene China. She holds an MA (Distinction) in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art, London. 

Vicky Bowman has been Director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) since July 2013, based in Yangon until November 2022, and currently based in London. Bowman served as Ambassador of the UK to Myanmar from 2002-2006 and as second secretary in the Embassy from 1990-1993. She has also worked in Brussels as Member of Cabinet of European Commissioner Chris Patten (1999-2002) and as press spokeswoman for the UK representation to the EU (1996-1999). Bowman has an MA in Natural Sciences (Pathology) from University of Cambridge, holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford, and is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College and an Honorary Senior Fellow of the British Institute for International and Comparative Law (BIICL). She is married to artist Htein Lin.