At Sala Lodges Hotel, Siem Reap, young Khmer artist Pen Robit is back with an exhibition showcasing his personal take on Krama, the ageless, ubiquitous piece of patterned fabric that informs so much on the Cambodian spirit.
A former student at the famed Phare Arts School (an outspring of Phare Circus of international acclaim), Robit (Battambang, 1991)has already explored many art forms in his formative years. Quite the rebel kind, he doesn't fit into any mold, and this artshow is a public comeback after some time dedicated to a reflective break centered around one (and more) topic: what does it mean to create art in a fast-changing, amazingly bustling country such as Cambodia?
A collection of carefully restaured Khmer traditional village house in Siem Reap, close to the Angkorian wonders, Sala Lodges seems to be the perfect venue for this youthful musing around the krama, an ancestral fixture of Khmer life, until nowadays used as loincloth, scarf, head cover...and just a rag, when needed. Versatile and handy can be beautiful, too!
Involved in many group and solo international exhibitions, Pen Robit has actively worked with The Memory Workshop, Bophana Center, Phnom Penh. His most recent artist's residency was with OZASIA Festival, Adelaide, Australia.
This event is part of the ongoing Fort Arts'Sake/Anicca Foundation project, dedicated to the support and promotion of rising Khmer creators in the field of visual arts.
Opening Nov 12, 2018, at Sala Lodges Siem Reap. Through Jan 2, 2019.