Painting in process, 'Rebirth' by FONKi (CA/FR), 2017, Acrylic on Canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.

by Tulika Ahuja
June 05, 2018

The restoration of the arts took a few decades. It was tough to rebuild a cultural heritage of over a thousand years with such few people. The few artists that survived the Khmer Rouge regrouped and restored themselves, reestablishing the University of Fine Arts. In the 90’s, the newer generation too began expressing themselves through various art-based and performance forms, albeit modern ones. The generation gap between the older, surviving artist generation and the newer one created a gap in the development of Cambodian culture.

For example, the relatively new Kbach Gallery in Phnom Penh (founded in 2017) works to support existing artists and nurture fresher, emerging artists in the ‘Kbach’ school of thought. It is loosely defined as a style that combines quintessentially Cambodian elements with modern styles. In Khmer, ‘kbach’ refers specifically to the ornamentation often seen above doorways and on ancient temples. It also entails certain movements, such as those of the traditional Apsara dancers, and is seen as conveying a spiritual power.

Full https://theartling.com/en/artzine/2018/ ... s-rebirth/