Selapak | Saphan

An exhibition titled 1975, featuring works by Anida Yoeu Ali, Amy Lee Sanford, and LinDa Saphan, and curated by Chuong-Dai Vo.

Opening reception: April 27, 2013, 6pm-8pm

On view: April 27-May 26, 2013, by appointment & Saturday Noon-4pm Location: Topaz Arts, 55-03 39th Avenue, Queens, NY 11377

This exhibition brings together three diasporic Cambodian, woman artists whose works exemplify the dynamic contemporary art scene in Phnom Penh: Anida Yoeu Ali’s photographs and video installation recall life in a refugee camp following the fall of the Khmer Rouge; Amy Lee Sanford’s video and prints share with viewers the process of uncovering a difficult history, the turmoil of the late 1960s and 1970s, as told in letters written by a father she never knew; and LinDa Saphan’s drawings of apartment buildings and architectural monuments in current-day Phnom Penh take us back to her mother’s memories of living there. photos courtesy of Topaz Arts, 2013

APA at NYU, NY, Legacy of Now, Curated by Anida Yoeu Ali

In the aftermath of war, over 1 million Cambodian refugees fled with their families to rebuild their lives in other countries. From near artistic annihilation, the cultural arts of Cambodia were valiantly recovered and preserved by Cambodians inside and outside of the country thus leading to a unique contemporary intersection. For twenty-first century Cambodians, art has begun to question and engage the present. Recognizing the critical global and local contributions of Cambodian diaspora artists, this roundtable discussion features an intergenerational group of visual and performing artists to share their experiences and ideas.

Panelists will address issues of transnational identities and the ways in which the act of returning “home” functions as an important point of encounter or departure for their artistic practices. Curated and moderated by Anida Yoeu Ali, this panel will feature dancer/choreographer Prumsodun Ok, photographer Pete Pin, conceptual artist Amy Lee Sanford, and visual artist/scholar LinDa Saphan

GOWANUS LOFT, Brooklyn NY. My drawings were exhibiting alongside to Thavary Krouch documentary film Black Ink On Rice Paper.

PETE PIN, CURATOR:

...there’s a growing movement of empowered young Cambodians who use media and art to explore their cultural identity, political/historical circumstances, and experience. We carry the dual responsibility of decoding complex personal histories while contributing to the narrative of a people just one generation from the horrors of genocide. I am convinced that justice and healing must emerge first and foremost from the collective will of the people.

The arts are a testament to this, to the continued vitality of the Cambodian people, to the fact that Pol Pot failed to destroy us, and that in spite of the seemingly insurmountable difficulties of rebuilding, we cannot and will not be silenced.

MORAVIAN ACADEMY, PA, Talk and Screening of DTIF with John Pirozzi

"The Forward Festival is a month of Cambodian arts and culture programming at Gowanus Loft to celebrate The Season of Cambodia. Forward is co-presented by Khmerican & The Vanderbilt Republic." http://vanderbiltrepublic.com/fwd

Cambodian Modern Arts Festival curated by Pete Pin, April 20th

Thavary Krouch's short film "Black Ink On Rice Paper" will be screened next to Saphan's artworks.

What a New Year!!!!

Khmer Arts Taking Over the Big Apple

"The festival celebrates Cambodia’s artistic revival just one generation removed from the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979), a dark period in Cambodia’s history during which nearly 90% of the artists and intellectuals were tragically eliminated in an effort to devastate a flourishing artistic community. Season of Cambodia, then, will serve as an international platform that not only highlights the extraordinary resilience of the Cambodian nation and its artists, and also sets the stage for other post-conflict nations seeking renewal through artistic expression."

http://seasonofcambodia.org/

What is this fundraiser for?  A group exhibition, titled 1975, featuring works by Anida Yoeu Ali, Amy Lee Sanford, and LinDa Saphan, and curated by Chuong-Dai Vo.

Opening reception: April 27, 2013, 6pm-8pm On view: April 27-May 26, 2013, by appointment & Saturday Noon-4pm Location: Topaz Arts, 55-03 39th Avenue, Queens, NY 11377

What is the exhibition about?  This group exhibition brings together three diasporic Cambodian women artists whose works exemplify the dynamic contemporary art scene in Phnom Penh: Anida Yoeu Ali’s photographs and video installation recall life in a refugee camp following the fall of the Khmer Rouge; Amy Lee Sanford’s video and prints share with viewers the process of uncovering a difficult history, the turmoil of the late 1960s and 1970s, as told in letters written by a father she never knew; and LinDa Saphan’s drawings of apartment buildings and architectural monuments in current-day Phnom Penh take us back to her mother’s memories of living there.

back this project.

"Black Ink on Rice Paper" is a short doc that highlights the artwork of Linda Saphan and meditates on the meaning of art, identity, and self-expression in Cambodia today.

Description

A short documentary that focuses on the life and art of Linda Saphan. After escaping war-torn Cambodia to grow up in Canada, Linda began a quest in her early 20's to reconnect with her past and make sense of her displaced identity. In her return to Cambodia after many years away, she discovered her artistic voice and ultimately, found her calling.

Our City Festival is Cambodia’s first and only public festival to bring together creatives in Cambodian cities to focus on urbanism and its influence on contemporary culture. Between September 28 and October 7, 2012, the festival presents over 30 projects across more than fifteen venues and public spaces in Phnom Penh and, for the first time, in Battambang.Our City Festival 2012 | Urban Currents Art, architecture and ideas

28 SEPT -­‐ OCT 7

Phnom Penh | Battambang

www.ourcityfestival.org

read the program

Our City Festival is Cambodia’s first and only public festival to bring together creatives in Cambodian cities to focus on urbanism and its influence on contemporary culture. Between September 28 and October 7, 2012, the festival presents over 30 projects across more than fifteen venues and public spaces in Phnom Penh and, for the first time, in Battambang.

Saphan showcased Mark DeBonis at Urban Art Passage Gallery, September 2012

A mathematician by trade, but studied fine arts as an undergraduate.  Continued painting on his own time out of necessity. His hope is to express indescribable internal feelings without being consciously aware of what is expressed - to tap into this unknown side and let it dictate what appears on the paper to the point where he, himself, is surprised by the result. His technique uses paper with any water based paint on which he can apply ink. It is a back-and-forth method of color on ink on color on ink, etc. until satisfied with the result.  To paint from the inside reaching deep down into the subconscious and with as little planning as possible.

There are many layers of paint and ink one on top of the other which creates rich textures and patterns. Objects change as the picture progresses – things are edited out or introduced until the moment when intuition says it is correct. A personal set of rules is created for laying down color and ink which purposefully avoids conventional norms.

Our Selapak Neari Khchao Touch is part of this group exhibition curated by Darren Swallow

September 21 to October 10 at Meta House, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

There are 9 Artists in this group, 9 faces, all producing different projects on different themes, but all this work comes from the same place, the internal realms of shadow, that rarely, if ever get exposed to the light. These Artists have searched their souls and made what they found into Art...I hope to see you there and that you enjoy this exhibition. - Darren Swallow

August 20th | From A Distance | at The Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA, USA

August 6th | Bird of Peace | Maker Faire Africa at the University of Nairobi, Kenya

July 19th | Global Hybrid | at Meta House, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

June 3rd | SightLines | at Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, San Diego, CA, USA

April 24th | Flying | the Mill Gallery in Nyiracsad, Hungary

April 10th | Gotta Have It | with Jim Higgins at Gallery 119, Lowell, MA, USA

Curated by Setheyny Pen, Saphan and Jim Higgins will exhibited their work at Gallery 119, Lowell, MA, USA from April 10th 2010. Saphan will exhibit 10 pieces of the Paradox serie (you can view them in portfolio) and an installation titled Leaves of Longing.

The time has come to finish our documentary film: Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock And Roll. Our goal is to finish the film this fall. Because so much visual material was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge we are working extra hard in creating ways to illustrate this incredible music.

The singer Ros Serey Sothea began as a poor farm girl from the countryside. Because of her amazing voice she soon found herself to be the biggest female singing star in the country. Unfortunately she didn’t survive the Khmer Rouge era. No footage of her performing is known to have survived either. We would like to make an animated sequence of Ros Serey Sothea performing. It would help bring her back to life on screen.

In order to meet this goal we need your support.  We are excited to announce an online fundraiser via Kickstarter.com.