Drop Cloth … a few things you might not know about…
Jose Antonio Pineda. Poet, actor, dancer, writer, singer – Frisco Tony, as he is also known, is more active in the arts in Phnom Penh than many individuals a fraction of his age. This Friday he is taking part in Poetronica 2 at Meta House – an on-going experiment in the fusion of poetry with electronic music, video and other effects. “They’re taking a multimedia approach, to make poetry readings less boring,” he says. “Nico [Mesterharm, Meta House director] thinks it’s important to make it into a performance that is evolving itself, to bring poetry to the people, to make the audience involved and interested.”
An aspect of the poetic arts that you think is overrated:
The first person confessional poetry format is both overused and overrated. I prefer third person poetry, narrative poetry, other forms of poetic expression. The first person confessional poetry peaked with Jack Kerouac, John Berryman, Delmore Schwartz, and young people today use the format because it’s easy and accessible but not necessarily poetic.
An aspect of the poetic arts that you think is underrated:
Generational art movements, like the Beats, the Surrealists, the Existentialists – they all continue to inspire. Today there’s not so much that is generational, everything is done in an individualist manner – it’s not about working together. My greatest inspiration when I was a young kid in the Haight Ashbury with the Straight Theatre, and we produced a poetry reading for Michael McClure called The Ghost Tantra, and I was given the honour of introducing Michael on stage. Through Michael I met Jim Morrison and Richard Brautigan – he was trying to create a generational movement for us younger people, which took me a long time to grasp.
An early memory of poetry:
When I was younger there was a little movement in the low-rent neighbourhoods in San Francisco, the Haight Ashbury, North Beach – I call them Neo-beats, because they weren’t hippies yet and they weren’t really Beats, they were post-Beat. They had poetry readings and block parties and a lot of small printing presses like Illuminations that were publishing local poets. A lot of really good people came out of that, like Ed Bullins, the Black playwright, who was part of Black Arts West. I remember meeting Carolyn Cassady, wife of Neil Cassady. Many people were passing through there at the time who came to be important or influence in the future, but they weren’t defined yet. It was really, really a great time.
The last thing you had to eat:
Burger and fries at Tacos Kokopelli.
Where did you get your start as a poet?
Michael McClure inspired me to write – he was very kind, he would give me advice. Richard Brautigan also was very, very kind and very interested in what young people were doing at the time. It took me a long while to get into the format of writing – I learned a lot about writing from doing cinema reviews, going around to film festivals, and sooner or later I developed a certain style, and my poetry started to grow, and my prose is in evolution right now. I have a little project called Once Upon A Time in San Francisco that’s receiving some attention and I hope to have that in publication some time soon.
When did you first come to Cambodia?
2012. I was here for two days, and I was quickly invited by Dana Langlois of Java Café to be part of a reading night. It was quite a shock to see that there was such a nice culture going on here, and I thought this must be a great place to be.
A book or movie you keep going back to:
I can’t get enough of La Dolce Vita. It really inspired me, the whole Fellini concept, the acting, the episodic nature of the film, and how it managed to involve the arts and music and literature and cinema in one work. I’ve seen it dozens of times. The other I’ve seen many times is, funnily enough, The Girl Can’t Help It – one of what we used to call jukebox movies, the MTV of the time. Jayne Mansfield and Little Richard and Eddie Cochran, all the old 50s rock’n’roll stars. Completely the opposite of an art film like La Dolce Vita.
What languages do you speak?
English and Spanish. Taxi and café French and Italian.
A country that you would like to visit:
Greece. I think I would like to live in Greece. I heard a story of a Greek-American from New York, in his 60s he was told he had terminal cancer so he went to Greece to live out his days. When he gets to Greece it’s all olive oil and wine and great food and people living with several generations all around. He’s 87 now. I think it must be a pretty nice place.
Something people might be surprised to know about you:
My first flamenco dance teacher was a beautiful lady named Teresita Osta who was quite famous. She danced everywhere, she worked in movies in LA, and she was just a beautiful person. I realise now that I never really got the handle on her. Recently somebody posted on Facebook a picture of her – she just died at age 90 or something, went to the grave looking gorgeous.
A question from the last participant: Have you ever failed at what you do? How hard did you fail and how did you bounce back?
I failed a lot, especially going through the auditioning process. You have to take it in your stride and get on with it. As far as writing is concerned it’s a learning process anyway. I learned a lot from writing little books and stories and poetry. It’s not so much that you learn what to do, it’s that you learn what not to do, and that’s pretty important. You really notice that in film – learn what not to do, and that makes what you do more important. It’s the same with writing.
Event listings:
Tonight, Tuesday 27 at Meta House, the opening of mixed media exhibition Go With The Flow. “Public transport is the obvious way forward if we are to ensure that Phnom Penh is livable in the future. Meta House and Metaestetica Lab team up for an art exhibition project, which reflects the local communities’ unique aesthetic, environmental, scenic, historical, and cultural values. Mixed-media art by professional artists will be exhibited alongside collages, which have been conceived during two workshops with Italian architect and urban designer Carlo Santoro. We thank our young Cambodian participants from the Cambodian Children Fund and Sunrise, as well as their facilitators.” From 6 pm.
More info
Thursday 29 and Friday 30 Comedy in Cambodia presents stand up comedian Ahmed Ahmed for shows in Siem Reap at the Hard Rock Café and Speakeasy Theatre in Phnom Penh.
More info
Friday 30 at Sa Sa Art Projects, an artist talk by Jean Alex, as part of their Pisaot experimental residency program, June – July 2023. “Jean Alex is working on various kinds of projects, design, videos, ceramics, art installations. He is a creative mediator working in collaboration with people and local contexts. He co-founded a Khmer French cultural association called POUMA’KHMER, that aims to create a space promoting and celebrating past, present and future stories of the Cambodian diaspora in France. Fulling a long process identity quest, he wants to create a link between the different cultural spaces that he is evolving through.” From 6 pm, English language event with Khmer interpretation.
More info
Friday 30 Meta House presents Poetronica 2 featuring poets Kosal Khiev, Yeng Chheangly, Chan Samnang, Choun Sopheap, Miguel Jeronimo, Jose Antonio Pineda along with music from Eclectic Universe. From 7 pm.
More info
On Saturday 1, Pteah Chas presents the opening of A Cosmic Assemblage: Collision, “an extraordinary collection of transcendental pieces that illuminate the profound life interpretations of Cambodian American multidisciplinary artist, Chummeng Soun.” From 7 pm, runs until 31 July.
More info
The annual Phnom Penh Phsar Art/Art Market is returning this year in collaboration with N o w h e r e Art Studio. The call is out now for artists to take part – submissions on Friday 30. More information can be found here.
On 7 July at Sa Sa Art Projects, a lecture by Sam I-Shan: Black Box White Cube: Decoding Video Art and Artists’ Films, as part of This event is part of the public program of the exhibition Myth in Motion. From 6 pm, English language event with Khmer interpretation.
More info
For its next project, La Troupe de Théâtre Francophone de Phnom Penh is looking for two male actors, ideally aged 25 – 40 for one and 50 – 65 for the other. A demanding schedule of 20 rehearsals between late November and January with performances 18, 19 and 20 January 2024.
At the end of July 2023, dance company Prumsodun Ok & NATYARASA will host two nights of performances featuring original choreography from Chakra, Chamreoun, Chay, Sopharoth, and Venghour. They have launched a crowdsourcing campaign to support the project. Support their fundraising campaign here.
The 6th annual Khmer Literature Festival is coming soon – watch this space, and this one too.
Java Creative Café’s new project, in conjunction with We Film Lab and RUUB Studio, will be an exhibition of Cambodian film photography to take place from October. They are currently calling for submissions on the theme of nostalgia – find out more at their website. Deadline for submissions is 31 August.
Ongoing….
Exhibitions:
Chhan Dina Gallery
An on-going display of the work of Chhan Dina work from throughout her career is augmented, on a rolling schedule, with works of contemporary masters and up-and-coming painters. For appointment to view call 012 968 582.
More info
The Gallerist
A continuously rolling collection of works by mostly Cambodian artists. Currently showing is works by Chhan Dina, Nak Noy, Stan, Chhim Sothy, DinArt and Thun Dina.
More info
Hotel Old Cinema (Kampot)
Kaleidoscope, an exhibition of prints by Tamara Venn celebrating Cambodian wildlife.
Meta House
Mixed media exhibition Go With The Flow. “Public transport is the obvious way forward if we are to ensure that Phnom Penh is livable in the future. Meta House and Metaestetica Lab team up for an art exhibition project, which reflects the local communities’ unique aesthetic, environmental, scenic, historical, and cultural values. Mixed-media art by professional artists will be exhibited alongside collages, which have been conceived during two workshops with Italian architect and urban designer Carlo Santoro.”
More info
Ny Vannak
Small studio gallery in Lanka Lane, off St 51 in BKK1 featuring the work of Ny Vannak.
Visit the gallery by appointment – WhatsApp/ Telegram 099 509 412 / 0978572328
Shophouse Studio/Pteah Chas
A Cosmic Assemblage: Collision, “an extraordinary collection of transcendental pieces that illuminate the profound life interpretations of Cambodian American multidisciplinary artist, Chummeng Soun.” Opens on 1 July from 7 pm, runs until 31 July.
More info
Romchiek 5 Art Space
Battambang contemporary art studio. Rolling exhibitions.
Sa Sa Art Projects
Myth in Motion, a video art exhibition by featuring five international women artists – Martha Atienza (Philippines), Ana María Millán (Colombia), Thao Nguyen Phan (Vietnam), Ana Vaz (Brazil) and Connie Zheng (US). Until 12 August.
More info
Sofitel
Tribe Cambodia presents the opening of Elements of the Lotus by Ponleu. Until end of June.
Media: Cambodge Mag (FR) Sovrin Magazine (KH) CGB Media (KH)
More info
Space Four Zero
Prints, paintings, vintage posters, pop art, CDs and vinyl. Open daily.
More info
Sra’Art
Becoming. “This poetic exhibition from three friend artists: the paintings of Rena Chheang, the surrealist mixed-media pieces of Dahlia Phirun, the poems of Miguel Jeronimo – explore the themes of vulnerability, human form, inner conflicts and the discomfort and contradictory joys of writing our own identity. The relentless necessity for self-actualisation and embracing what we can be.
More info
Regular events, classes, sessions:
Drink & Draw every Monday at Cloud, 6.30 pm.
More info
Tuesdays, 4 – 4.45 pm at Giving Tree International School, after school art lessons by Mirasol Aguila.
Every Wednesday Comedy in Cambodia present Stand Up Social at Speak Easy Theater. 7.30 pm.
Wednesdays to Sundays at K’Atelier – art classes for all levels of experience. Coming soon: 28 June, Create with Watercolours; 29 June, Art Journaling, 30 June, Neurographic Art
Kids Art Club, Saturdays at Botanico, presented by Sra’Art, 10 am and 11 am.
More info
N o w h e r e Art Studio
A range of arts and crafts workshops mostly on weekends. Next is hand-building
ceramics on Saturday 1 July.
A weekly class in life drawing for kids with Anastasia at Pteah Chas Community.
More info
Khmer Architecture Tours conducts Sunday architecture tours in Phnom Penh to promote the understanding of modern architecture in Cambodia, focusing on buildings erected after independence in 1953, described as ‘New Khmer Architecture’, while setting these in the historical context of Phnom Penh. Here is the schedule for May. [Note: waiting for June update]
Life Drawing Phnom Penh
Commencing Sunday 11, for beginners and the experienced, every Sunday after for six weeks at Planete Enfants & Developpement’s Rooftop.
More info
Kumnooh was originally established in May 2013 as a sister publication to LengPleng.com, the online music magazine for Cambodia, to provide basically a gig guide for the wider arts, covering art galleries, literature, dance, cinema, photography and now comedy.
You may be interested in becoming a Friend of Kumnooh, where we ask venues, artists and individuals to show their support by making a small monetary contribution to keep the lights on. In return for a boost in promotion, including a non-Facebook web page on our site for direct contact with the dedicated arts audience. Check out our first example – Chhan Dina Gallery. Queries by return email – fabianhipp@kumnooh.com.
For a more rock’n’roll view of Phnom Penh and the wider Cambodian music scene, please check out our sister publication lengpleng.com, the long running live music gig guide.
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Fabian Hipp
Kumnooh
fabianhipp@kumnooh.com
Kumnooh 