ASEAN
16 September 2014
Cambodian Art in Toronto
The East Gallery's exhibition of contemporary Cambodian painting, "Identities", is the "must-see" event on Toronto's cultural calendar this fall.
The East Gallery's exhibition of contemporary Cambodian painting, "Identities", is the "must-see" event on Toronto's cultural calendar this fall. Its opening reception last night, 17 October, was a stunning success, with the many visitors in attendance bustling to see the powerful works of art. Several other cultural events will be taking place in conjunction with the exhibition (see below).
Cambodia is a country that still bears scars from the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. And this is clearly evident in the works of Chath PierSath who is an artist, poet and activist. He discovered that art helped him to channel his emotions from his childhood under the Khmer Rouge. The self-taught artist has used his paintings, collages and poems to reconnect fractured memories from his past. Many of his portraits recall those haunting gazes of the ancient Fayoum portraits from Roman Egypt.
In 1980, at the age of ten, Chath fled from his homeland to the United States. In 1994 he returned to Cambodia for the first time and has since been living between his adopted home country and Cambodia, where he works as an artist and social worker. Over time, Chath’s work has enabled him to make sense of himself and the world around him. His work is the product of a difficult history, a keenly perceptive eye, and a desire for change.
Cambodia is also a country where most artists were killed during the genocide, and the majority of its population was born after these tragic Khmer times. The five other young artists exhibited come from this post-genocide generation, and appear less constrained by tradition and cultural taboos than their counterparts in neighboring countries. Their paintings embody a mountain of combustible energy, as they seek to connect local themes to the global scene.
The nude photographic self-portraits of Heng Ravuth, for example, appear almost voyeuristic while Oeur Sokuntevy, one of the few female Cambodian artists, openly addresses sexuality and relationship issues in paintings of herself and her lovers. Hour Seyha draws on his personal experience of having to illegally cross the border into neighboring Thailand as a child in order to find work to feed himself.
Identity is not only how one sees oneself, but also how one sees others. Pen Robit’s portraits of people with traditional Khmer scarves appear to have their faces etched out. Identities can also change, as in the series of photographs by Chan Moniroth that show a street child morphing into a Cambodian Cinderella.
"In the short time since this exhibition started, I have heard the word "wow" more than once," remarked Andrew Fitzgerald, owner of The East Gallery. "Our visitors are clearly moved by the raw and aggressive emotion of these paintings. After having personally hunted down many of these paintings, this exhibition is a very gratifying experience for me."
So do yourself a favor and get down to The East Gallery, and see this outstanding exhibition.
Here the details:
"Identities: Contemporary Art from Cambodia".
Exhibition Period:
October 16 – November 18, 2012. Open daily from 9 am to 11 pm
Exhibition Venue:
The East Gallery, 334 Dundas Street West (across from the AGO).
www.theeastgallery.com
Contact:
Tel: 416-705-4331
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sat., Oct. 20; 11 am – 12:30: “Coffee and chat with the artist’
Cambodian-American artist Chath Piersath joins us for an informal discussion about his life and artwork, about living beyond borders and about Cambodia today
Thurs. Oct. 25; 7:30 – 9:30 pm: Film Screening: “The Lotus That Went To The Sea – Life and the art of change”.
- Canadian premiere of a documentary about the Cambodian post-genocide art scene.
Thurs. Nov. 1; 7:30 – 9 pm: Author’s Talk – Kim Echlin
- The acclaimed author of, among other works, “The Disappeared” which takes place in Montreal and Cambodia (shortlisted for the 2009 Giller prize)
Executive Director
Asian Century Institute
www.asiancenturyinstitute.com
Cambodia is a country that still bears scars from the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror. And this is clearly evident in the works of Chath PierSath who is an artist, poet and activist. He discovered that art helped him to channel his emotions from his childhood under the Khmer Rouge. The self-taught artist has used his paintings, collages and poems to reconnect fractured memories from his past. Many of his portraits recall those haunting gazes of the ancient Fayoum portraits from Roman Egypt.
In 1980, at the age of ten, Chath fled from his homeland to the United States. In 1994 he returned to Cambodia for the first time and has since been living between his adopted home country and Cambodia, where he works as an artist and social worker. Over time, Chath’s work has enabled him to make sense of himself and the world around him. His work is the product of a difficult history, a keenly perceptive eye, and a desire for change.
Cambodia is also a country where most artists were killed during the genocide, and the majority of its population was born after these tragic Khmer times. The five other young artists exhibited come from this post-genocide generation, and appear less constrained by tradition and cultural taboos than their counterparts in neighboring countries. Their paintings embody a mountain of combustible energy, as they seek to connect local themes to the global scene.
The nude photographic self-portraits of Heng Ravuth, for example, appear almost voyeuristic while Oeur Sokuntevy, one of the few female Cambodian artists, openly addresses sexuality and relationship issues in paintings of herself and her lovers. Hour Seyha draws on his personal experience of having to illegally cross the border into neighboring Thailand as a child in order to find work to feed himself.
Identity is not only how one sees oneself, but also how one sees others. Pen Robit’s portraits of people with traditional Khmer scarves appear to have their faces etched out. Identities can also change, as in the series of photographs by Chan Moniroth that show a street child morphing into a Cambodian Cinderella.
"In the short time since this exhibition started, I have heard the word "wow" more than once," remarked Andrew Fitzgerald, owner of The East Gallery. "Our visitors are clearly moved by the raw and aggressive emotion of these paintings. After having personally hunted down many of these paintings, this exhibition is a very gratifying experience for me."
So do yourself a favor and get down to The East Gallery, and see this outstanding exhibition.
Here the details:
"Identities: Contemporary Art from Cambodia".
Exhibition Period:
October 16 – November 18, 2012. Open daily from 9 am to 11 pm
Exhibition Venue:
The East Gallery, 334 Dundas Street West (across from the AGO).
www.theeastgallery.com
Contact:
Tel: 416-705-4331
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sat., Oct. 20; 11 am – 12:30: “Coffee and chat with the artist’
Cambodian-American artist Chath Piersath joins us for an informal discussion about his life and artwork, about living beyond borders and about Cambodia today
Thurs. Oct. 25; 7:30 – 9:30 pm: Film Screening: “The Lotus That Went To The Sea – Life and the art of change”.
- Canadian premiere of a documentary about the Cambodian post-genocide art scene.
Thurs. Nov. 1; 7:30 – 9 pm: Author’s Talk – Kim Echlin
- The acclaimed author of, among other works, “The Disappeared” which takes place in Montreal and Cambodia (shortlisted for the 2009 Giller prize)
Author
John WestExecutive Director
Asian Century Institute
www.asiancenturyinstitute.com