HIGHLIGHTS
ANOTHER CHINA PHNOM PENH
JANUARY 2009 AT META HOUSE
Cambodian artist Chhan Nawath's representation of the AC PP crew, with guest appearance by "The Pitiful Pig"
A Lijiang Studio crew convened at Meta House in Phnom Penh as a follow-up to Berlin's ANOTHER CHINA exhibition curated by Alfred Banze and Christine Falk. This exhibition established some regional connections among young artists: the first step involved Cambodian artist Sokuntevy Oeur traveling to Lijiang for residency at Lijiang Studio. Next, Lisa Li, Mu Yunbai, and Sokuntevy Oeur traveled by land from Lijiang to Phnom Penh. Once in Phnom Penh, Alfred Banze and Christine Falk used ANOTHER CHINA PHNOM PENH (AC PP) as a platform for workshops and the addition of new work to reflect the experience of the artists. Thus, after opening, AC PP was continuously modified. Part II added the work of Lisa Li, Mu Yunbai, and Sokuntecy Oeur, which they made on the road from Lijiang to Phnom Penh. Finally, Joybrata Sarker and Oviek Sarwar came from Bangladesh, made new work in Phnom Penh, and working with Yunnan-based curator Adrian Van Egmond, modified AC PP again, delivering Part III.
Thanks to the Goethe Insitut Jakarta for supporting this exhibition and related activities.
Opening of ANOTHER CHINA PHNOM PENH Part I
Exhibition view: Saskia Jansen's "EAST/WEST Paradise in Reverse" (2005)
Opening of AC PP Part I
Exhibition view: Saskia Jansen, set photo from "EAST/WEST Paradise in Reverse" (2005) seen behind door-god painting by He Xiudong (2008)
Serious viewers checking out Ernesto Salmeron's spots for Lijiang TV (2008) for Lijiang Studio
Exhibition view: Duskin Drum "Stencil for New Countryside Laboratory" (2008) and performance documention of "Can Ecotourism Save the World?" (2005)
AC PP exhibition's official pink wife-beater tank top featuring Duskin Drum's "Stencil for The New Countryside Laboratory"
Lisa Li skyping Naxi Dongba He Xiudong to clarify works feature in the show.
Workshop, led by Alfred Banze and Christine Falk. Participants: Chhan Nawath, Sokuntevy Oeur, Lisa Li, Mu Yunbai, Jay Brown, Adrian Van Egmond, Joybrata Sarker, Oviek Sarwar.
Lashihai artist Mu Yunbai's work under discussion at the workshop.
Adrian Van Egmond explaining his curatorial vision from a tuk tuk
Oviek Sarwar's passport photo collection made in preparation for travel from Bangladesh to Cambodia. One of the topics of the workshop was the cultural identity of an artist when calling yourself an artist brings trouble. The artists in the workshop who filled in paperwork as "artist" faced endless bureaucratic delays, while the artists who claimed to tourists had no problems...
The workshop also involved visiting artist's studios in Phnom Penh. Here Zhou Qiao is trapped inside one of Sopheap Pich's sculptures.
Workshop presentation at Meta House: Sokuntevy Oeur presents video and painting made in Lijiang.
Meta House initiator Nico Mesterharm.
Lisa Li's work "Those Shells" from the road trip between Lijiang and Phmon Penh being installed for ANOTHER CHINA PHNOM PENH Part II
Joybrata Sarker adding that day's photographs to AC PP Part II. By constantly changing and adding to the work in the gallery, we tried to expose the process of an artist working in a new place. These photographs were given away.
some related links:
Phnom Penh Post article
Exhibition Catalog PDF