Green Burmese Python
- Gallery: Room 34
- Maker: Soe Yu Nwe
- Made in: Jingdezhen
- Date: 2018
- Object type: sculpture
- Materials: porcelain; gold; mother-of-pearl (lustre); clay
- Museum number: 2022,3019.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is "Green Burmese Python," a ceramic sculpture created in 2018 by artist Soe Yu Nwe. Standing at over a meter long, the work is made of glazed porcelain, gold, mother-of-pearl lustre, and cone 6 clay. The python is divided into distinct segments, giving it a fragmented feel. Notice the contrast between open and closed areas in the design, as well as the shimmer of the gold and mother-of-pearl glazes.
Soe Yu Nwe, a Myanmar artist, explores themes of identity and gender through her work. This piece reflects the struggles women face in a society shaped by strong patriarchal norms. The snake has deep roots in Myanmar’s Buddhist traditions—considered a symbol of protection and devotion. As the artist’s zodiac animal, it also connects personally.
Created during a residency in Jingdezhen, China—renowned for its ceramics—the python embodies both Soe Yu Nwe’s Burmese heritage and her international creative journey.
See it in person
Green Burmese Python is on display in Room 34 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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