On the streets of Phnom Penh and Vienna, a man with a self-produced oven waits for busy passers-by to slow their pace and join him for a free lunch. It takes two hours for a meal to be prepared on that primitive stove, long enough to make two perfect strangers a bit closer, share some humorous jokes and reflect together on the crazy race of urban life. Who is this man? Why is he doing this?
Rainer Prohaska, Austrian artist of international fame, is one of the six protagonists of On The Streets, showcased at Java Arts until February 22. The exhibition is a comparative look at the effects of migration and global capital in Phnom Penh and other locations, through the observation of street vendor culture.
But let’s go back to the man and the oven. “The world of street vendors is pure fascination to me. I have been working on street life thematic for almost 15 years,” Rainer says. The Viennese artist, who takes his cooking projects around the world, often makes kitchens out of shopping carts, symbolising the dynamism of street life and nomadic society.
Dialogue is another important element in Rainer’s art. This form of confrontation, to him, is a way we can see the other and not lose ourselves. As English poet John Donne said: “No man is an island.” Therefore, in this hectic world where people are too self-focused and distracted by urban life, projects like these remind us never to forget the importance of social interaction as a mean of growth. “I do more or less what people here in the streets do, using kitchen tools as a space for conversation. I always seek the participation of the audience. The rule is that people have to cook with me and use this time as a moment of sharing and confrontation.”
This project is one of many interesting artworks in On The Streets. On the ground floor, Sandrine Lloquet’s sculptural installation catches the eye. The artist turned a juice-and-coffee cart into a curiosity cabinet. An old drum, mysterious stones, a dusty book, glass ampoules and other enigmatic found objects talk about past stories and open up a space for meditation.
In a liquid time of globalisation and continuous changes, this installation is an invitation not to forget our own roots and identity, without foregoing a healthy curiosity and sense of wonder towards what differs from us. Only in this way people can avoid being dispersed in the levelling ocean of modern life.
Ashley Billingsley, Margaret Honda, Amy Lee Sanford and Kong Vollak complete this comparative exhibition made of chorographical artistic actions which bring visitors to a journey down the streets of Boston, Los Angeles, Phnom Penh, Saigon and Vienna. Are you ready to embark?
WHO: All and sundry
WHAT: On The Streets exhibition
WHERE: Java Arts, #56 Sihanouk Blvd.
WHEN: Until February 22
WHY: Avoid being dispersed in the levelling ocean of modern life