Anon & Surfacing
ANON
Sala Artspace Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2007
‘Anon- The word describing the symbol for infinity in Khmer.Anon was chosen as the title of this project to represent the eternal process of artistic creation- no end and no beginning.’
To encourage the growth of the Cambodian Art Community, Java arts presented an open invitation to Cambodian visual artists of all backgrounds, age and experience to participate in the Anon work-in-progress exhibition. Here are represented 24, some of whom are teachers and professional artists and as young Cambodians.
The Anon work-in-progress exhibition is an exercise in creativity, discovering and the artistic process. Although logically most exhibitions highlight final art pieces, this project focuses on the journey to that point instead. To reinforce this idea, artists have been asked not to present a final piece alone, but also to demonstrate what inspired them and how they create through sketches and gathered materials. They could also work in the space to show their progress and develop a piece that represented their own creative process.
The overall concept was left open to allow artist to feel free to explore and discover their art, themselves and each other.
During the project period, the artists meet weekly to give each other feedback and cultivate their own concept further under the guidance of Panca Evenblij and Pich Sopheap.
Participants: Chan Nawath, Chhai Kakada, Chea Bunna, Chhim Sothy, Chhinn Taingchea, Chuop Sopheak, Heng Ravuth, Khem Sambo, Khvay Samnang, Kong Vollak, Meas Sokhorn, Nhem Sopaul, Ouk Chim Vichet, Pes Ratha, Proeung Moulin, Prom Vichet, Rath SolySa Veasna, Som Bo, Soumey, Sovan Philong, Tan Vanno, Vandy Rattana, Vong Daravy
Curator and coordinator: Panca Evenblij Photography: Rattana Vandy
The progresso the artists was documented by filmmakers Marzena Ostromecka, Marco Marco and Tanja Wessels (Wide Eyes Documentaries, London, UK), who invited the artists to explain their work and how they were affected by the workshop.
SURFACING
Sala Artspace Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2007/ Curator and coordinator: Panca Evenblij & Rattana Vandy
Participants: Chea Bunna, Chhinn Taingchhea, Kong Vollak, Kvay Samnang, Meas Sokhorn and Soumey
The six young artists on show (selected after the group show Anon) at Sala Artspace have one thing in common: each have taken global contemporary issues and made them their own, breaking them down in pursuit of smaller individual inquiries.
Often we see work by the older generation of artists in Cambodia speak of religion, morality, culture, politics or depict ideal scenes of the past. Building on these references, young emerging artists consider more tangible experiences such as water pollution, architecture, street children and the endurance of small creatures.
As these issues come to the surface, the artists rise to confront them and through this process they have shown their personal development and individuality within the plastic arts.