Although not one to wax about the significance and meaning behind her works, Sokuntevy Ouer is anything but a shrinking violet. A contemporary Cambodian soul balancing on the fence between history and family, heavy with the burden of responsibility, while on the other side a future packed with independence, promise and opportunity.
A Rare Look into Paper Making
The Dieu family is one of the few remaining households that stick to this old art. Not accustomed to curiosity from outsiders, it took several phone calls before Mr Dieu opened his gates to us. But once he did, it was immediately obvious how non-industrial their process is. Every part of the house and every available family member is devoted to some stage of the production.
Not afraid to take risks in his professional life, in 2006 Michael Santiago packed up his belongings and set off from Manila to come to Cambodia after being offered a job with a renowned advertising agency in Phnom Penh. Subsequently, much to his disillusionment, this job fell through but nonetheless, Mikey, determined to prove his talents, persevered and now works as an art designer at Bassac Orchid advertising agency.
Yes, he does share the same exhibition history as most of the recent graduates of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (a couple of exhibitions at RUFA, a couple at the French Cultural Centre and a couple at Sala Artspace and Metahouse), but that is not a bad thing seeing that it is terminal trajectory of the young artists of Cambodia.
Unless of course, as is possible in the rest of the world, you are one of the chosen art-stars of the time or you for some reason board an aeroplane and get out of Cambodia.
A selection of artwork from Damien Frost's Digital Scrapbook.
View more of Damien Frost's work on our Vietnam GalleriesVietnam Galleries