Phnom Penh: From the artworks of the capital's burgeoning galleries to the distinct school of design evolving in the north-western town of Battambang, Cambodian art is increasingly reaching a global market. Cambodia's home-grown artists are showing in major Asian cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore. A season of Cambodian art is also planned for New York in 2013 while auction house Christie's is holding its first sale in the Kingdom in March. Central to the buzz that artists are beginning to attract are the diverse influences that have shaped their lives and work. “Artists have two obvious wells of inspiration: first, Cambodia's glorious history of highly detailed and ornamented temples and murals, and secondly, the naive, emotionally charged, post-Khmer Rouge, art-by-accessibility,” said Matthew Tito Cuenca, who is helping to organize Christie's charity sale on March 11. The changes brought by rapid economic growth and development are also influencing creative minds. “You are seeing artists responding to socio-political implications with a great deal of urgency,” said Kate O'Hara, manager of Romeet Gallery in Phnom Penh, who has seen increasing numbers of international collectors enter the country. “The energy and motivation of these artists combine the traditional Cambodian visual linage with new aesthetics to reflect on contemporary issues that are local, but have global resonance.” One such artist is Hour Seyha whose recent series Waiting for Sunrise explored his experience of child labor. In his early teens he worked in Thailand, at times illegally, to support his impoverished family. He returned to Cambodia alone at 15. Hour, who is now in his early 20s, lived in an orphanage before eventually starting art classes at Battambang-based charity Phare Ponleu Selpak. The organization, which began in 1986 in a refugee camp, has helped develop a generation of raw talent. Hour's highly emotive paintings – in muted yellows, reds and blues – are full of symbols of his time abroad. Footprints represent wounds; flip-flops illustrate slavery; red is a symbol of fear. “I want to explain and make people understand about the issues in society,” he said at a recent public talk. Fellow Phare Ponleu Selpak alumni Nov Cheanick, whose work is currently on display at the Four Rising Talents from South-East Asia exhibition at 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in Hong Kong, is also exploring the nature of modern society, using images of US President Barack Obama in his Freedom series. Christie's auction is to also focus on contemporary artwork with sale proceeds set to be donated to the non-governmental organization Cambodian Living Arts. It helps support Cambodian art forms from traditional dancing to puppetry, many of which were nearly wiped out under the cultural nihilism of the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979. With paintings and sculptures from some of Cambodia's best-known artists up for grabs, auction organizers said international buyers are finding proxy bidders to snap up lots. Pieces set to be sold include work by contemporary sculptor Pich Sopheap and mask maker Sam Chanmonyroth. In 2011, Christie's saw record sales of Asian art at 890.1 million US dollars, a 17-per-cent increase on 2010. Christie's auctioneer Lionel Gosset is to travel to Phnom Penh to hold the sale. He said he believes that as Cambodia opens up, its “rich artistic movement” will be seen. “Young artists are already beginning to be recognized both in Europe and the United States,” he said. “With quality work, recognition follows,” O'Hara said. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/yVFyv Tags: Art, Cambodia, featured, markets Section: Art, East Asia, Editor's choice, Features, Latest News
