Greetings,
There is much to celebrate in the arts in Cambodia, and this week particular mention must go to the efforts to put on the inaugural Kampot Writers and Readers Festival over the weekend. The momentum generated by this literary event is already being felt for writers of all stripes, and we look forward to the next. A round of applause from Kumnooh for the event organisers, the volunteers, the participants and the audiences.
Tonight, Tuesday 10 from 6 pm, Meta House hosts the opening of Solitudes, by Nget Chanpenh, a 22 year old artist from Romcheik 5 Studios in Battambang. The 17 pieces collect together moments of life’s various solitudes.
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At the same time, 6 pm tonight, Tuesday 10, Java Café Independence Monument presents an artist talk with Hong Kong based illustrator Tanya Bennett and multi-disciplinary artist Marc Standing, who have come to Cambodia to hold a four day arts workshop for children at HAGAR Cambodia Creative Arts Project, under the auspices of the Sovereign Art Foundation. English language event with Khmer interpretation.
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At the French Institute tonight, Tuesday 10, from 6.30 pm, Yoshiyuki Yamana, architect and professor at the University of Science of Tokyo, will speak about the works of architect Le Corbusier in Asia, including buildings in India and Japan. The lecture is part of the series of events Living together, dedicated to the topics of urbanisme, architecture and housing. French language event with interpretation into English and Khmer.
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Commencing on Thursday 12, the 12th International Music Festival Phnom Penh presents a series of concerts at the InterContinental Hotel and Meta House. The theme this year is The European Dream of Progress and Enlightenment, the period of 1700 to 1900, and works of the heavyweights such as Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Liszt feature alongside lesser known composers, performed by ensembles and soloists from the region and beyond. Seating is limited, and advanced purchase is encouraged. The full programme is available here. The opening concert, at the InterContinental Hotel on Thursday 12 features the Pantun Trio from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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At the French Institute on Thursday 12 from 6.30, the opening of a photographic exhibition featuring the works of students of Studio Images, mixing portraits and architectural subjects.
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On Friday 13 and Saturday 14, Amrita Performing Arts presents the Contemporary Dance Platform, the biannual showcase of new works created by emerging Cambodian choreographers, interspersed with talks and discussions about contemporary dance, at the Department of Performing Arts. Tickets ($5/$2.50) are available at the Amrita office (128G9 Sothearos Blvd), Java Café and at the door. To book tickets, you can also contact boxoffice [ at ] amritaperformingarts.org or 077-945015. 7 pm start.
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On Friday 13 at Bophana Center, a book launch and photographic exhibition opening for A Century Artist, celebrating the life and work of legendary Royal dancer Neak Krou Em Theay. German photographer Arjay Stevens accompanied Em Theay with his camera for twenty years. For a look at the dancing, here is a video from the National Museum event last weekend. The show will run until December 15.
On Saturday 14 at Develop Boeng Kak and Simone Art are holding the Happy Day event with live music, street art, workshops and DJs. Starts at 4 pm – continues through to 2 am.
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On Sunday 15, Showbox hosts their regular Drink and Draw session from 7 pm. $3 for two hours with a life model – byo drawing materials.
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The annual Northbridge School art exhibition, this year entitlted Beyond Pattern, officially opened at the InterContinental Hotel last week, exploring cultural patterns. A selection of works will be on display till November 26.
Phnom Penh resident, ambient music composer and WASH collaboration member Warren Daly’s new EP, The Stones Are Awake, is now available from Bandcamp, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify and other digital stores. The work includes excerpts from longer compositions written for the multi-faceted live performance The Stones Are Awake performed at Meta House in July and August of this year, and features text by Scott Bywater read by Bernadette Vincent. A video clip is now available too.
For a more rock’n’roll musical flavour of Phnom Penh, make sure you follow weekly gig guide LengPleng.com as well.
Fabian Hipp
Kumnooh
fabianhipp@kumnooh.com
If you are a venue or artist and would like to receive a weekly reminder to provide Kumnooh with an upcoming event or activity, please contact fabianhipp@kumnooh.comand ask to be added to the venue/artists list. We are only as good as the information we receive.
In brief: new and returning…
Tuesday 10 from 6 pm, Meta House hosts the opening of Solitudes, by Nget Chanpenh, a 22 year old artist from Romcheik 5 Studios in Battambang.
More info
Tuesday 10 from 6 pm, Java Café Independence Monument presents an artist talk with Hong Kong based illustrator Tanya Bennett and multi-disciplinary artist Marc Standing.
More info
Tuesday 10 from 6.30 pm at the French Institute, Yoshiyuki Yamana, architect and professor at the University of Science of Tokyo, will speak about the works of architect Le Corbusier in Asia, including buildings in India and Japan.
More info
Thursday 12 to Monday 16, the 12th International Music Festival Phnom Penh presents a series of concerts at the InterContinental Hotel and Meta House. The full programme is available here.
More info
Thursday 12 from 6.30 pm at the French Institute, the opening of a photographic exhibition featuring the works of students of Studio Images, mixing portraits and architectural subjects.
More info
Friday 13 and Saturday 14 at 7 pm at the Department of Performing Arts, Amrita Performing Arts presents the Contemporary Dance Platform, the biannual showcase of new works created by emerging Cambodian choreographers. Tickets ($5/$2.50) are available at the Amrita office (128G9 Sothearos Blvd), Java Café and at the door.
More info
Friday 13 at Bophana Center, a book launch and photographic exhibition opening for A Century Artist, celebrating the life and work of legendary Royal dancer Neak Krou Em Theay. The show will run until December 15.
Sunday 15 from 7 pm, Showbox hosts their regular Drink and Draw session.
More info
Ongoing….
Every Tuesday, 7.30 pm at Tim’s Greasy Spoon in Siem Reap, the Spoken Arts night invites writers and readers to share.
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Every Tuesday from 5.30 – 7 pm, a chakra sounds meditation class is offered by Inner Healing, utilising the vibrations of musical sounds. Limited seats, please register at charlene [ at ] innerhealing-therapy.com.
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Every Tuesday, 6.30 – 7.30 pm, body music classes at the Music Arts School (#14, St 360, BKK1) presented by Eric Ellul.
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The French Institute presents Connaître Le Corbusier, as part of their Living Together series of events focusing on the city, architecture and housing.
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At Bophana Centre, a children’s drawing exhibition, Wildlife and Forests in the far North-East of Cambodia.
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The annual Northbridge School art exhibition, this year entitlted Beyond Pattern, officially opened at the InterContinental Hotel last week, exploring cultural patterns. A selection of works will be on display till November 26.
Mito Hotel (formerly Mittaheap Hotel, Monivong Blvd, near Wat Koh, south of Psar Thmei), presents Art Night: The Bridge, the third of Remy Hou’s series of artistic events, featuring the works of Cambodian artists Din Borin and Ouk Chim Vichet. Exhibition continues until 28 November.
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Lop Loy (Street 182, near Psar Orussey, entrance off Street 107) celebrates its opening with an international group show Species Spaces, that examines the idea of relationships between species as shared inhabitants of our planet.
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At Java Café, Mé Maï, an exhibition of watercolor paintings by Mil Chankrim, a graduate from Phare Ponleu Selpak, an especially talented young artist whose work draws inspiration from resilience and the emotional complexity of tragedy.
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The Lotus Pond Art Gallery of The Plantation hosts David Richard’s latest exhibition Yangon in Transition: Past & Present, featuring over 60 paintings of Burmese heritage buildings and contemporary life scenes.
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Samai Distillery presents Psychedelic Jungle, featuring works by emerging Indonesian contemporary artist SONI Irawan.
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The Insider Gallery at the InterContinental Phnom Penh presents Inside/Out, a group show featuring the work of eight artists: Chhan Dina, Chhim Sothy, Frederikke Tu, Bernadette Vincent, Anna Sudra, Marcel Wanders, Christopher Bryce Morris and Ouk Chim Vichet, each tackling the theme in their own style. Gallery is open Monday to Saturday 10 am – 6 pm and by appointment.
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SaSaBassac hosts a new solo exhibition by sculptor and installation artist Svay Sareth, entitled I, Svay Sareth, eat rubber sandals.
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Sammaki Gallery in Battambang presents Life is Suffering, featuring sketches by Lous Piseth.
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ARTillery Cafe in Siem Reap, near Wat Bo Street, presents My City, a collection of paintings by young artist Chheang Rena, showcasing the brokenness of the city due to poverty and corruption.
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At Palm Tours and Travel Café on St 278 (opposite the old Equinox), rookie painter Anthony Mrugacz’s exhibition Imperfection – Flowers in Motion.
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Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hosts Wonders of 1929, a collection of vintage photographs of Cambodia, the work of Georges Portal, a French actor and director.
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Even more info
New Leaf Book Cafe in Siem Reap, has a continuous exhibition for Small Art School, featuring the work of young aspiring Cambodian artists.
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Elegy: Reflections on Angkor by John McDermott. The award-winning American photographer maintains his strong presence on the Siem Reap art scene with his mesmerizing monochromatic fine art images of Angkor taken between 1995-2014. Now exhibiting in two McDermott Galleries located at FCC Angkor and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.
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Plae Pakaa, a program of 3 rotating performances of Cambodian traditional arts at the National Museum of Phnom Penh. Friday is a dance show, Saturday opera, and Sunday large shadow puppets. A Cambodian Living Arts production. Every Friday and Saturday, 7 pm (May to September); Monday to Saturday, 7 pm (October to April).
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Phare Ponleu Selpak, the famous Cambodian circus school offers nightly performances in both Siem Reap and Battambang, on a rolling cycle of different works.
In Siem Reap: at 7.30 pm under the big top in Siem Reap, behind the Angkor National Museum, in front of Angkor Century Hotel.
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In Battambang: visual arts exhibition from 6.15 pm then circus show at 7 pm.
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DanceWorldCambodia offers classes in adult ballet, yoga and Bollywood style. For more info contact dance@danceworldcambodia.com
Kumnooh 