Cambodia & Culture : Vannak Khun: “using art as a sensitive, educational, poetic and strange medium”

In a long exclusive interview with Cambodge Mag, Cambodian Vannak Khun reveals all about his childhood, his career, his ups and downs and, above all, his dreams.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is Vannak Khun, and I was born in Phnom Penh in 1980. I'm a contemporary artist, known for my particular style, which blends photography and performance art. Initially a finance graduate, I turned to art in 2014, and decided to devote myself entirely to it in 2019.

My work often explores identity and social commentary through personal narratives, using myself as subject/object

Tell us about your childhood in this little-known district of Phnom Penh

Born after the Khmer Rouge, I grew up in this Sino-Khmer neighborhood, designed in the 30s to 60s, between the central market (Phsar Thom Thmey) and the bamboo stream market (Phsar O'Russey). The town was empty, there was no running water, no electricity, no traffic, and above all not enough food. To go shopping, for example, you had to wait for the train, which came from Battambang and arrived at night. My step mother would wake me up very late, it was really dark, and sometimes I was scared, I really wanted to stay in bed, but I had no choice, I had to go with her to help her carry the bags. Sometimes the train arrived at one in the morning, sometimes at four. Hundreds of us families waited for it, by the light of oil lamps, as there were no batteries for flashlights.

As a little boy, I still found ways to be happy, running with my childhood friends while they fetched water together as we passed in the street, crossing the Central Market, going to and from school. Just across the street from us, the Sorya Cinema had reopened: I could see the big posters announcing new films, and I always tried to get into the cinema for free. I already loved walking through the alleys, where I found different food, more people... It was war all around, and there wasn't much room for love, so I had to concentrate on life's little pleasures. This is my childhood in this neighborhood.

Tell us about your early artistic experiences

I love all forms of artistic expression, but I found my calling through “Studio Images” at the “Institut Français du Cambodge”, where I began my photography training in 2014. My self-portraits, in which I projected numerology-related elements onto my torso, were immediately recognized and exhibited, as was my second series, in which I staged myself in the places of my childhood and teenager, some of which have now disappeared. The fact that I was quickly recognized and exhibited in Phnom Penh, as well as in France, Japan and Taiwan, gave me a certain assurance and confidence in my choice of creative process, and I have continued along this path.

Tell us a little more about your academic and professional background

I was lucky enough, thanks to my aunt, to be able to study. I have a degree in finance and bank accounting. I worked in different sectors, in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private companies. But I stopped everything in 2019 to devote myself to my bohemian and artistic life. Like many people, I'm also slowly recovering from the difficult period that was Covid.

What are your current activities?

It's not easy to make a living from your art, in Cambodia more than anywhere else! There's little support from the state, few grants, few galleries... To be able to cope with the daily grind, while keeping time for creativity, my partner and I have created two distinct but complementary projects:

- Phnom Penh Insolite is a unique concept in the capital. This tour is proposed by Emmanuel, who has lived in Cambodia for 17 years, and myself. Together, we offer an original tour of a little-known historic district. This walking tour is a sharing of experiences, and allows us to tackle themes as varied as history, spirituality, art and culture, the Khmer language and gastronomy, sometimes at the bend in the alleys that hide in the shadow of the main avenues, in unusual places: a stroll in Phnom Penh's “backyard”.

- Art Home is the perfect complement to Phnom Penh Insolite, offering a personal and intimate cultural experience that goes beyond the usual tourist offerings. On the one hand, I organize private dinners, where I do the cooking myself, or street food tastings. It's also a space for exchanging ideas, discussing art and culture, sharing personal stories, resilience and creativity.

Described as “a kind of UFO in Phnom Penh's cultural landscape”, Art Home is both an art gallery and a cabinet of curiosities. It features paintings, photographs and masks, as well as a collection of antiques, installations and drawings. The atmosphere is both bright and eclectic, inviting visitors to engage with art and the stories behind it.

How would you define your style - photography and painting?

After ten years, I can say that my photographic style is rooted in a continuity that makes my work recognizable and quite unique in Cambodia. I use myself and objects, which I stage through themes that touch me: they're linked to my identity, to memory, to social issues, to Cambodia: from the traditional krama to the hygienic mask during the Covid, I try to get to the heart of sensitive subjects: the environment, education, spirituality, life's difficulties. I accept that I'm a child of war, and it's often remarked that I never smile in my photos: it's a conscious choice, an aspect of my personality: I don't hide, I don't pretend.

« For me, photography is also a catharsis, a way of expressing my feelings without having to use words or language, which I'm not very good at (laughs). »

I also like to unsettle, to disturb, to make people look at my work and wonder about themselves and the state of the world: I admit I like to play with emotions, and sometimes, to be iconoclastic too.

When it comes to painting, it's very different. I've never taken a drawing class in my life! I started painting during the Covid. I had no money, only debts, and nothing but boredom lurking around the corner. To keep from sinking, I decided to tell the story of my love for cats, the complicity that helped me so much. Unlike my photographic work, and lacking any technique, I played with shapes and colors. My canvases are joyful, funny, ironic and offbeat: they reflect another aspect of my personality, sociable and empathetic, imbued with that “unbearable lightness of being” so aptly described by Milan Kundera.

What are your passions outside work?

Doing nothing! (laughs). I devote a lot of time to it, sometimes a little too much. Otherwise, being with my cats, going to see exhibitions, taking part in Cambodia's cultural life. I was a volunteer for the ASEAN Olympic Games, and have been for several years now for the Phnom Penh Photo Festival.

We have to support these initiatives and events that give Cambodia visibility. I've also done a lot of traveling, and I hope to be able to go out and meet new cultures again soon, or go skiing!

What are your artistic projects?

This year is off to a great start, I must admit! There was my exhibition/installation “Beyond the Wall” at the German cultural center: the Meta House, which was a great success, with hundreds of visitors. I won second prize in the photography category of the “Water” project organized by the Sofitel.

Do you feel you've reached an important milestone in your career as an artist?

The exhibition at Meta House was my second solo show outside the framework of the Phnom Penh Photo Festival, and allowed me to immerse people in my world. It was an important step, but all steps are important. I've been lucky enough to be exhibited in France, Taipei and Tokyo, but I'm also proud to be able to exhibit in Cambodia. Another milestone, in terms of recognition, is the one-year exhibition of three of my photos in Cambodia's first museum of contemporary art, in Siem Reap.

How do you see the future?

An artist needs to be recognized, to be exhibited, to share his art. Today's world frightens me, but I remain optimistic, and I want to continue, in my own way, to contribute my little stones to the edifice, using art as a sensitive, educational, poetic and strange vector, perpetually questioning life and the world. I have to live with a difficult past, in an uncertain present, while striving to build a better future.

Interview by Emmanuel Pezard

Photos supplied