Capturing Cambodia’s development through art
By Nabila Giovanna W

A&M's Fresh Faces is where we profile an emerging artist from the region every month and speak to them about how they kick-started their career, how they continue to sustain their practice and what drives them as artists. Read our profile on Eng Rithchandaneth here.

Eng Rithchandaneth. Image courtesy of the artist.

You graduated from SETEC Institute, Phnom Penh with a degree in design and took art classes at Sa Sa Art Projects. And at what point did you decide to pursue a career in art?

I decided to pursue a career in art when I realised that I have an interest and talent for it. And before I became an artist, I took an art class at Sa Sa Art Projects to hone my artistic skills. Aside from working as an artist, I am also working in the film industry. This job has given me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I have gained as an artist. The combination of being an artist and a film industry practitioner has provided me with a well-rounded perspective of the creative world.

Themes of environmental, political and social are present in your exhibitions, such as land demarcation in ‘Poetic Topographies’ (2016) and urbanisation in ‘Colony’ (2020). What drove you to focus on these issues, and what has been a challenge in communicating those issues through your artworks?

I focused on these issues because I want the public to know more about my country’s urban development and the issues that follow. I would especially like them to know about land concession, the problems it has caused and its impact on the community. My artworks are created based on research into the matter, and their purpose is to communicate the cycle of power that exists in these situations.

Eng Rithchandaneth, ‘Colony’, 2020, papier-mâché, wire mesh, glue, variable dimensions, installation view. Image courtesy of the artist and Sa Sa Art Projects.

How did the opportunity for the show ‘Colony’ (2020) come about? What was the process like and why did you choose large-scale installations as your medium?

For exhibitions, my inspiration would come from observations of the changes that have happened around me and my society. In ‘Colony’ (2020), the inspiration came from my fear of urban development and the concomitant expansion of power in the hands of a few. I specifically chose large-scale installations because I want to impose the feeling of fear and pressure on the audience when they see how big my colony is.

“I specifically chose large-scale installations for my medium because I want to impose the feeling of fear and pressure on the audience when they see how big my colony is.”

Aside from being an artist, you are also an art director and set designer for movies and TV shows. What have you learned from juggling multiple professions?

To maintain a balance between my different professions, I need to manage my time well, and train my team and myself to be ready when work suddenly comes up.

You have completed residencies in Sa Sa Art Projects, Cambodia and abroad, namely in Vermont Studio Center, Vermont, USA and S-AIR, Sapporo, Japan. How have these experiences shaped you as an artist?

My residency experience opened my eyes to the international art world and the new ideas within it. It also made me confident to create art and show it to the public. By visiting different places, I can also learn more about other people's lives.

You are a part of White Building Collective, a group of young Cambodian artists. Could you tell us more about what the group has done and how it has shaped or supported the art scene in Cambodia?

White Building Collective is a group of young Cambodian artists who take photographs and make films. One of the initiatives that we have created is ‘Humans of Phnom Penh’, a photo story to share the lives of people in Phnom Penh.

Eng Rithchandaneth, ‘Rooted’, 2019, grass seeds, fabric, wire mesh, variable dimensions, installation view. Image courtesy of the artist and Phnom Penh Art & Urban Festival.

In Cambodia, the government is strict with free speech. How does this affect your practice as an artist?

Sometimes, it is difficult to show our impact as an artist in a society. There is a limit to what we can say and present. To overcome this, we create works and enrich their meaning with insights and ideas from the audience. This initiative also helps to build relationships with the audience.

“Sometimes, it is difficult to show our impact as an artist in a society. There is a limit to what we can say and present. To overcome this, we create works and enrich their meaning with insights and ideas from the audience. This initiative also helps to build relationships with the audience.”

Who has been a mentor or an important artistic influence? And why?

My mentors are all the teachers in Sa Sa Art Projects, nature and the society around me. All of them have taught me and given me experiences to learn from.

What is one important piece of advice you have been given?

One important piece of advice a teacher has given me is to “do it and not be scared to show it”, and to ask myself questions of what, how and why every time I want to do something.

Could you share your favourite art space or gallery in Cambodia? Why are you drawn to that space and what does it offer to you/ your practice?

My favourite art spaces are Sa Sa Art Projects, Java Creative, Treeline Gallery, and Pteah Chas Community Center. Those places have given me the opportunities to show and develop my artworks.

What are your hopes for Cambodia’s local art scene, and regionally as well?

The art scene in Cambodia is starting to grow, but the opportunity to put up a show and an accompanying talk show is still limited. There are also limited resources for technical and funding options. However, we try to make up for them while hoping for the best.

Could you share your upcoming projects and goals that you wish to achieve in the future?

In the future, I wish to further develop my ideas alongside the quality of my artworks. I would also like to utilise my art as a bridge to communicate what I observe in society.

This interview has been edited.