The Raintree Cambodia recently hosted an event organised by the Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) association, under the direction of Phloeun Prim, entitled "Civic Participation through the Art in Cambodia".
An initiative that highlighted art as a powerful and vocal tool for addressing sensitive social issues, but also identified its challenges and stakes.
Celebrating the arts through youth
The symposium began with a presentation of the Seven Colours Festival by Dr Amanda Rogers, Associate Professor of Human Geography at Swansea University.
This festival, initiated by the Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) organisation and organised by young people, is much more than a simple event; it is a profound and sincere celebration of youth, art and society. It is a testament to how they can drive change and have a significant impact on our society. This festival aspires to empower and inspire the next generation of artists and civic leaders.
As Dr Amanda Rogers said:
“We noticed a difference between how artists think of the arts as connected to society and how young people imagine that relationship. Young people wanted to see (and felt closer to) artworks that engaged more immediately with Cambodia's pressing social issues, many of which are political - including climate change, expression of identity and human rights (e.g. LGBTQ identity), scams and democracy”.
“However, artists, particularly in the performing arts and music sectors, have to walk a fine line when creating work that addresses this type of content, with incidents of censorship more likely to occur in music,” she added.
This raised the question of how the arts can connect with society, and what the possibilities and limits of this relationship are. This question was answered by the various panellists, all specialists in the arts and culture sectors.
Between challenges and opportunities, art as a tool to inspire change in society
The symposium continued with a number of Khmer artists talking about their art as a means of responding to various social issues.
“Artists must be able to address social issues with sensitivity and use different art forms to convey them effectively to the public”, said Chhit Chanphireak, Executive Director of the NGO Lakhon Komnit.
He added:
“Art is a powerful tool for highlighting social issues and inspiring change in society. Artists should use various forms to communicate these issues to the public in a way that reduces their potential sensitivity.”
Lakhon Komnit, which means ‘Theatre of Thought’ in Khmer, organises inclusive and participatory programmes and activities designed to help Cambodians cultivate their critical minds. Chhit Chanphireak, its Director, reaffirms this vision of the arts.
“Our organisation uses theatre to explore social issues and provoke thought among audiences ranging from local authorities to the local population. Each performance is inspired by the experiences of marginalised Cambodian communities, with the aim of amplifying the unheard voices at the centre of each performance.”
As Mr Chhit Chanphireak explains, local authorities as well as members of marginalised communities, students and civil society workers must take part, as the aim is to enable an in-depth and collective discussion on problems and solutions.
During the symposium, Kim Hak, a photographer currently receiving a Tremplin grant from the CLA, explained the sometimes complicated professional path taken by artists in relation to society.
“In arts, even in the field of expression in general, every artist has to take into consideration the context of the country and in particular here, Cambodian policies and what is being done in the Institutes”.
He added: ‘International artists also often face difficulties when establishing links with Cambodian artists in the country with which they wish to collaborate, or vice versa.’
In his professional quest, he spoke of his journey as a photographer:
“As there were no multimedia courses in the country in the 1990s, I learned photography abroad and I tell stories through photos”, he said, adding:
“Artists have the freedom to express what interests them, whether it's their history, their community or their country.”
For her part, Say Tola, a writer and arts researcher, believes that freedom of artistic expression faces many obstacles, including cultural policies, trends and the inspection of content by the relevant authorities.
She added:
“Funding is also one of the challenges artists face in creating their work.”
At the end of the symposium, the panellists were able to answer questions from the audience about artistic collaboration, the link between education and art, and knowledge sharing.
According to Say Tola:
“We need art in the education sector. A lot of people think it's just singing or dancing, but art is much more than that. It's not just entertainment”.
As far as education is concerned, the issue of inequality of opportunity was raised, particularly with regard to the lack of access in the provinces, as Chhit Chanphireak explained: “It's important to work with young people, but there is still a lack of access for young people in the provinces. That's why it's essential to have a catalyst to drive forward the various projects”.
A moment of collective exchange and solidarity around the arts, which once again raised awareness of the Kingdom's uniqueness in this field and the power of art to bring people together and convey messages.
For more information: https://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/en/
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