OPEN WALLS 2020
Community Exhibition
Open Walls 2020 is an exhibition of a community. It is full of love stories, expressions of identity, beauty, humorous observations and moments of daily life. The artworks are as diverse as the people who made them with ages ranging from 10 to 78. Collected here they represent a small slice of the Phnom Penh community.
With diverse topics and styles the artworks are arranged as a visual flow of consciousness with color as a starting point. They are brought together by a common color that often evokes a shared mood, emotion or narrative that result in some surprising associations between artworks that may not normally be seen side by side.
Each contributing artist was asked to provide a description of their artwork. Each comment, short or long, offers a small insight into the creative process of each individual.
Scroll down or discover the artwork by color or name of an artist by clicking on the links below
Marjie Benadum, So Dari, Jenna Hang, Troy Campbell, Bonny, Po Sovannreach, Todd Martinez, Yuya Kubota, Weirdstyn, Kakrona Pos, Uon Reaksmey, Taber Hand, Vuochnea Taing, Chanda Cheng, Lorna, Micheal McKay, Sokheang Chrok, Lay Chhunyi, Richard Dobbie, Nicola Rottermann, Chunya Huang, Farah Abdessamad, @rezqoi + @xbignope, Hani Bierge
The artworks are presented here for non-commercial purposes. However we would be very happy to connect you with the artist for inquiries. Click here to send us an email.
WARNING: Some topics are adult in nature and may not be suitable for young and/or sensitive viewers.
Click on the images to enlarge
Marjie Benadum
57 yrs old
Bridesmaid
Soft Pastel on sanded paper
2015
“Weddings are key events in Cambodian Culture. For many they are the only opportunity to take a break from hard work, dress up and party together. This bridesmaid captures the beauty of the event.”
For inquiries please contact marjie.benadum@worldteam.org
So Dari
18 yrs old
Lotus Flower
Watercolor on paper
2019
“In the night as they both lay in the shadow of the blooming lotus water lantern their love blossomed.”
Jenna Hang
28 yrs old
Colors of Cambodia
Oil on canvas
2014
“As I relaxed and laid back at a park in Colorado, America…my Cambodian boyfriend at the time laid back on the grass. It was golden hour and the sun illuminated his face revealing a myriad of colors I had never seen in skin before. He was the first Cambodian I had ever met and is now my husband. I took a picture and cherished the memory. I later transformed it into this painting.”
For inquiries: jenna.hangart@gmail.com, https://www.facebook.com/honeylit.jennahang, www.jhoneylit.com
Troy Campbell
52 yrs old
Bag’s Groove
Collage and mixed media on panel
2019
“This piece is a meditation on living in Asia as a foreigner. It features collage materials from South Korea, China and the United States.”
Bonny
23 yrs old
The Struggles of Being a Woman
Makeup and special effects
2020
“As a woman, we are often taught to be silent, to be gentle and to go with the flow no matter what because making a noise and causing a fuss is seen as unlady like. Ladies keep on fighting to be heard!”
Po Sovannreach
13 yrs old
Wild Fire
Digital Drawing
2020
“This is an art piece inspired by the wild fire in Australia earlier this year.”
Todd Martinez
49 yrs old
Double Fister
Ink and Watercolor
2020
“Sometimes one just isn’t enough.”
Yuya Kubota
10 yrs old
Hotaru the Cat
Watercolor and ink
2020
“I drew my friend’s cat.”
Weirdstyn
30 yrs old
Phnom Penh Post Office
Pen and watercolour wash
2020
“The post office here is one of my favourite buildings I’ve only been there twice in the almost two years I’ve lived here and now that we aren’t accepting mail from overseas I doubt I’ll be there anytime soon so I figured I’d draw it. Because it’s pretty, and yellow.”
Kakrona Pos
15 yrs old
When I really enjoyed my time that time!
Digital painting
2019
“An Apsara dancing in front of Bayon temple: The reason I painted a blank face is because I think beauty is not the first priority in our life. I also thought of people who are judging others by looking at their eyes, nose and mouth. Nowadays, people in Cambodia don’t just walk around wearing those clothes. It’s only when we have some traditional events. This artwork is like a memory and throw back to ancient time of Cambodia for me!”
Uon Reaksmey
24 yrs old
Wonderfly
Digital drawing
2020
“It’s the picture of a question mark with wings. It was from my own imagination and experiences about life. I think we have to always be curious in order to grow more. Then let’s use our curiosity to help us fly high. Though we might not know what the future will hold, we should always believe in ourselves that we are going to fly there.
Create your own wings today and use your curiosity as your motivation. Let’s fly together.”
Taber Hand
Beach Boat Wood and Auger Snail
Crafted tropical hardwood with marine shell
2019-2020
“An Auger snail is backed on tropical boat wood found on Cambodian beaches — the flotsom of a ‘wrecked humanity’. The wood was washed up after an extreme climatic event that destroyed a nameless age-old boat whose useful design evolved over many hundreds of years and was crafted by hand, with considerable sweat and with considerable pride. Each piece I craft is made with such thoughts and respect.”
Vuochnea Taing
14 yrs old
Knowing the Unknown
Photograph
2020
“I was born in Siem Reap and when I was 10, I moved to study in Phnom Penh. Due to the current situation of the Corona Virus, I went back home to Siem Reap. This photo was taken when I took a trip to the temple area in my province. While my family and I were traveling, we found this temple that we have never been to before, and we were astounded by how stunning it was. This temple is called ‘នាគព័ន្ធ’ and it was hiding deep inside from the main road. My mother keeps saying, ‘I had lived here for nearly 40 years and I have never got a chance to explore more of this area, it is so beautiful.’ I thought this photo conveys a lot of the meaning of this hidden gem of Cambodia and how lucky we are that these temples existed in our kingdom.”
Chanda Cheng
33 yrs old
Ponder
Photograph
2020
“Coronavirus has caused us to stop and ponder what our day to day must look like. We must come face to face with ourselves and our values. The state of our society can cause one to breakdown, maybe even cry just to release what’s been building up inside. My wish for my daughter is that she can grow up without having to fear what the future holds but to use her strength and wisdom to make this world a better place. I hope that she will frequently stop and ponder the beauty around her.”
Lorna
47 yrs old
Tree
Acrylic on canvas
2017
“This was my first painting since childhood. I focused on creating an intricate abstraction of nature giving the illusion of a magical world through soothing color combinations and flowing shapes. The canvas is only 30 by 40cm with the background containing reflective iridescent acrylics contrasting with the clear lines of the tree, highlighted with gold to add to the subtle perspective of the composition.”
Micheal McKay
37 yrs old
Sunday
Oil on canvas
2018
“An egg made the best way – sunnyside up.”
Sokheang Chrok
28 yrs old
ចៃដន្យ It is accidental
Photograph
2019
“ដោយពាក្យមួយថា កុំទុកចិត្តមេយ កុំទុកចិត្តផ្កាយ បើសិនសប្បាយកុំជិះសេះលែងដៃ”
“Khmer Proverb: Don’t trust the sky, Don’t trust the stars, if it is fun, don’t ride a horse releasing your hands.”
Lay Chhunyi
29 yrs old
Time and Beauty Are Running Out
Drawing
2020
“Sometimes we forget how lucky we are to be young and healthy and this drawing represents the time and the beauty that is running out like a burning candle because we are getting old.”
Richard Dobbie
67 yrs old
Young Zebra Foal – “Zoe”
Photograph
2015
“Zoe was one of many zebras we passed as we followed the Chobe River westward in northern Botswana. She stood out as she appeared curious about our Land Rover. As I focussed my camera she seemed to look right down the lens as if posing, her eyelashes flashing like any professional model.”
Nicola Rottermann
36 yrs old
Knots
Macramé Wall Hanging
2020
“This macramé wall hanging was handmade. The stick is a piece of driftwood from the Mekong found on Silk Island and the the rope is natural cotton.”
Chunya Huang
17 yrs old
Merged
Clay Sculpture (Cambodian clay)
2019
“The sculpture reminds myself to be more conscious with my identity. In the digital age I began to feel my identity merge with the information that I perceive from the media, influencing myself both positively and negatively. Although technology and globalization has brought people around the globe closer, it also indirectly, unnoticeably, erases many valuable yet intangible cultures and personal qualities. It evokes a sense of frustration in me, struggling to find a balance in between.”
Farah Abdessamad
A Rainy Season Worth Remembering
Digital Photograph
2019
“A special rainy season in Phnom Penh, if only the clouds could speak.”
@rezqoi + @xbignope
24 yrs old
Cosmic Love
Film photography and digital collage
2020
“In this pandemic era, distance has separated us, but love, hope and memories keep our feelings stitched to each other. This artwork is a collaboration of two love birds in Phnom Penh & Saigon.”
Hani Bierge
30 yrs old
Sunflower
Rotring
2020
“No water needed for floating flowers”