Stepping into Sammaki Gallery’s new solo exhibition we are transported into the vivid imagination of Battambang based artist Ot Veasna. Given Veasna is deaf, unable to write, and knows only limited sign language, we rely on his boundless creativity for a peak behind his amiable but silent demeanor.
Veasna’s chimeras and multi-faced creatures are playful, highly fantastical, and definitely merit a visit. At first read, Veasna’s work is a cross between Salvador Dali’s surrealist paintings and George Dunning’s (famous for animating and directing The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine) psychedelic animations. The fantastical chimeras possess a deep child-like sense of wonder and imagination that too many of us are slowly taught to confuse with being childish. Like Dunning’s work, the creatures appear almost goofy and largely benevolent in nature.
Of course, Cambodia possesses a long history of mythical creatures embodied by multiple animals and extra limbs, far removed from Western artists and traditions. For example, the Hindu deity Vishnu is featured prominently at Angkor Wat, regularly with numerous arms. Gajasimha, a mythical cross of an elephant head and lion body is common throughout South East Asian mythology and is even featured on the Royal Arms of Cambodia. Surely, these and many more like them were early influences on Veasna’s internal mythology.
The clean works are endlessly imaginative but, in terms of emotion, very simple. Furthermore, the extent to which Veasna has constructed his own complete mythology is unclear. Are these beings part of a master narrative with hierarchies, epics or morals? We can only wonder. Is this is by fault or because of Veasna’s inability to fully communicate to us in words?
In the flyers and posters advertising the exhibition, Sammaki Gallery features The Child, and for good reason. The painting is unique for the show in that the face takes up almost the entirety of the painting. With two tears running down the face and arms reaching to the heavens The Child is the only painting on display with any discernable emotion.
However, the work that immediately catches attention, and remains a favorite, is Elephant. The remixed Gajasimha is an elephant head morphing into a mermaid, then into a Janus-head of an alligator and man. The vivid red to pink background makes its profoundly bizarre subjects pop.
That Veasna currently has two solo exhibitions (his work was already being displayed at Lotus Bar & Gallery) is testament to his zeal for painting and quality of work. While it is awkward that Sammaki Gallery decided to simultaneously exhibit Veasna during Lotus Bar & Gallery’s show (the galleries are 2.5 blocks away on the same road) how many artists are producing two solo show’s worth of quality work every year?
Veasna’s new solo show runs through to Wednesday March 25. at Sammaki Gallery, Battambang.