In Cambodia, most cases of arts censorship are linked to the notion of protecting and preserving culture. Kai Brennert examines how different generations of civil servants and policymakers are shaped by their lived experiences, which in turn influence their view of “cultural preservation”.
Artists from the region created a virtual time capsule to capture the objects and memories of the past two years.
Jean Baptise Phou’s work My Mother’s Tongue began as a way for the artist to examine his relationship with his Teochew-speaking mother. Through collocations with other artists and audiences, the work has undergone different manifestations, but remains an “an exploration of the barriers to connection that transcend language” writes Deborah Augustine.
In a country with a range of national and international laws to protect artistic rights, Reaksmey Yean questions the reality of freedom of expression for artists in Cambodia.
នៅខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ អាជ្ញាធរកម្ពុជាបានចាប់ខ្លួនអ្នកចម្រៀងរ៉ែបវ័យក្មេងពីររូប គឺ គា សុគន្ធ និងឡុង ពុទ្ធារ៉ា ទាក់ទងទៅនឹងពាក្យពេចន៍រំលេចនៅក្នុងបទចម្រៀង ដីខ្មែរ របស់ពួកគេ ដែលចេញកាលពីខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ២០២០។ បទចម្រៀងនេះបានទាក់ទាញឱ្យមានការទស្សនារហូតដល់ជាង ២,២លានលើក អំឡុងពេល៥ខែបន្ទាប់ពីការចេញផ្សាយ។ បទដីខ្មែរ នេះជំរុញឱ្យយុវជនខ្មែរទាំងឡាយក្រោកប្រឆាំងនឹងការគាបសង្កត់ អំពើពុករលួយ បោះបង់ចោលគ្រឿងស្រវឹង ហើយយកចិត្តទុកដាក់លើបញ្ហាទឹកដី។ នៅក្នុងបទចម្រៀងនេះ សុគន្ធរ៉ែបថា៖ «ខ្ញុំចាប់កំណើតកើតនៅលើដីកម្សត់ មានបេះដូងអព្យាក្រឹត ប្រឆាំងជាមួយនឹងជនក្បត់ វ៉ៃយកកេរដំណែល ក្រវែលអ្នកគាបសង្កត់ ជួយជាតិតាមសំឡេង ឱ្យគេឮតាមបទ។ ខ្ញុំអ្នកសៀមរាបរស់នៅលើដីប្រាសាទ មានឈាមវរ្ម័នក្លាហានមិនបាក់ស្បាត ឈរតំណាងទឹក តំណាងដី តំណាងសាសន៍ លើកទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជា ស្មើមេឃ ស្មើអាកាស។» ពាក្យពេចន៍របស់សុគន្ធ គឺពោរពេញទៅដោយមនោសញ្ចេតនា ជាតិនិយម ជាពិសេសពេលដែលសិល្បកររូបនេះរម្លឹកដល់អ្នកស្ដាប់ថា ៖ «យើងបើអស់ដីគ្មានអ្វីនៅទៀតទេ… សាសន៍មួយចំនួនកំពុងតែឈ្លានពាន ពេលដែលបាក់សាមគ្គីគេនឹងមកទន្ទ្រាន…» បើទោះបីជាបទចម្រៀងទាំងមូលមិនលើកយកពាក្យ «វៀតណាម» មកពណ៌នាក៏ដោយចុះ ក៏បញ្ហាទឹកដីដែលបានរំលេចនៅក្នុងចម្រៀងមួយបទ នេះធ្វើឱ្យអ្នកស្ដាប់យល់បានថា ជាការសំដៅទៅរកបញ្ហាព្រំដែនដ៏រស៊ើបមួយជាមួយនឹងប្រទេសវៀតណាម ទៅនឹងការចោទប្រកាន់ជាយូរយារណាស់មកហើយថា …
សេរីភាពសិល្បៈនៅកម្ពុជា ៖ នៅពេលដែលការការពារតាមផ្លូវច្បាប់មិនគ្រប់គ្រាន់ Read More »
Alex Foo reviews the exhibition The Tailors and the Mannequins, featuring works by Singaporean artist Chen Cheng Mei and Cambodian artist You Khin. The exhibition is part of Dalam Southeast Asia, National Gallery Singapore’s new space that presents perspectives from territorial Southeast Asia, aiming to spotlight lesser-known narratives in the region. Midway through the journey …
In March 2020, we spoke to 10 arts and culture workers from across Southeast Asia, in a bid to capture the sentiments on the ground as it shifted during the early days of the pandemic. Now two years later, we revisit the same artists to see what has changed, and what has stayed the same. …
COVID-19 and the Arts in Southeast Asia – 2 years on Read More »
Updated 27 January 2022 ArtsEquator Lobang is a list of available open calls, job postings and other opportunities open to people from Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Lobang”, a Malay word for “hole”, is used in Singlish as a shorthand for an opportunity, valuable contact or a tip. Scroll down or click for easier access. Info …
Open Calls and Opportunities: Jan 2022 (Singapore/SEA) Read More »
In this edition of See What See, we review three films made by Southeast Asian directors and featuring Southeast Asia currently showing at the Singapore International Film Festival 2021 (SGIFF). SGIFF runs from 25 November to 5 December 2021 with over 100 films from more than 40 countries. Also check out Fiona Lee’s review of …
<Deadline extended to 15 October 2021> ArtsEquator invites applications for the position of Researcher for a regional arts censorship documentation and publication project it is piloting. The programme runs from Jan 2022 – Dec 2023. There are six positions available, one each based in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam respectively. Women candidates are …
OPEN CALL: Southeast Asian Arts Censorship Documentation Read More »
Can the creative society in Southeast Asia support each other in finding solutions to problems in our communities, powered by compassion and empathy? That’s one of the questions at the heart of the existence of Project SEA*5. The group comprises five creative practitioners working across different local community contexts: community architect-urbanist Joanne Mun advocates for …
Can the arts solve community issues in the region? The SEA*5 think so. Read More »
By Kathy Rowland What is the state of the arts media landscape in Southeast Asia? Based on global trends, the answer seemed evident: the landscape has shrunk, and its impact on the arts ecosystem is a growing concern amongst arts writers, artists and policy makers. Yet there are still vibrant spaces dedicated to arts coverage, …
Mapping Asian Arts Media: Key Findings (Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia) Read More »
Every first Wednesday of the month, ArtsEquator releases our editor’s picks of shows/events/programmes that our readers can look out for in that month. This list in published in no particular order. 1. Little Mournings Physical show: 4-7 March, various timings / Delayed livestream: 11-17 March [SINGAPORE/In-venue & Online] Little Mournings is a puppetry show …
Snow Whitening Revisited presents an allegory on being a female artist in Cambodia, playing with imagery that evokes visceral feelings of clinging, and a sense of embodied helplessness that pays tribute to both cultural heritage and a deep historical trauma. Presented digitally as part of this year’s M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, the piece masterfully explores …
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Eisner Winner Erica Eng; Pinoy rap and Duterte Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Thai artists talk politics; The horror animation artist Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Artists non-essential?; Cultural festivals make a comeback Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Looking back at Uncle Boonmee; Indonesian legends in game Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Speaking up in the Philippines; the dance must go on Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: The future of The Projector; mask theatre Lakhon Khol Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Superhero snafu; post-apocalyptic celebrations Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Japanese ska in Saigon, experimental music in Yangon Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Digital pantomime, Myanmar artist charged with blasphemy Read More »
by Nabilah Said As the world contends with the new normal of temperature checks, home quarantines and travel restrictions in the age of COVID-19, artists find themselves reckoning with a lack of paid jobs coupled with an existential question of the meaning of art in these times. There has also been an awakening of sorts …
Every space tells a story: the empty prison cell speaks of redemptions, of wrongs that were righted, and to the cynical, more earthly, minds, of miscarriages of justice, and the irrevocability of tragedies and the people who made them; the crowded hospital ward hums, sometimes a baleful tune when a heart attack becomes a full-body …
The Space of/for Memory: ”Last Night I Saw You Smiling” Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Art in the time of COVID-19 and more Read More »
ArtsEquator’s Southeast Asia Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. In the weekly Southeast Asia Radar, we publish a round-up of content that have …
Weekly Southeast Asia Radar: Why I sing in English; how Cambodian art can survive Read More »
