University students have called on their creativity to explore aspects of Cambodian culture in their debut exhibition. Drawing on strong and vibrant spiritual traditions common in the Kingdom, four graphic design students from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology are gearing up to showcase their work in a final year exhibition as they prepare to graduate.
“This is the first graduating class from the university and it’s the first time they’ve had an exhibition, so it’s very exciting,” says course tutor Jois Lundgren. “They are very talented and have already learnt all of the technical aspects of design and advertising so this is adding another element to their portfolio.”
The exhibition, White Is My Soul But I Prefer Black, opens on June 21. A stunning conceptual centrepiece created by the group examines the spiritual traditions of protection used by many in the form of the red or white thread often worn around people’s wrists, tied to vehicles and at the entrance to homes. It is believed that once blessed by a monk, the thread protects people and places from harm.
Another form of physical protection in Cambodia is shade. Says Lundgren: “As a tropical country, the sun in Cambodia can be unbearably hot. Everybody walks, stands and lingers in the shade, which protects their skin. Long sleeves, hats and even gloves are commonly used. Unlike in the West, where a suntan is many people‘s ideal, in Cambodia having white skin is by far more desirable and considered more attractive.”
The result of the creative collision between Kavich Neang, Milcah Madlang-Awa, Veasna Heng and Cedrick Ragel is a contemporary exploration of the relationship between different forms of protection, both physical and spiritual. “This installation simulates reality in daily Cambodian life with the use of thread and shade and shadow, questioning its impact and involving the viewer,” says Lundgren. “It questions the significance and the meaning of spiritual and physical protection.”
Kavich, 25, enjoyed tackling issues of importance to many Cambodians in their daily lives. “For me this exhibition is interesting because it raises awareness of spiritual and physical protection that is important to many people in Cambodia. We don’t like to walk in the sun or become tanned because it is a sign of being poor, whereas Westerners want to be brown. I find that very interesting because we’re different.”
Madlang-Awa, 18, has relished pushing the boundaries of her minimalist style and getting in touch with her creative side: “I’m excited, nervous and anxious at the same time but I’ve really enjoyed the whole course and working on this exhibition has been fun because it’s something different. I have enjoyed coming up with concepts and then using art to get the messages across. We are not trying to say whether they are right or wrong, just raising awareness.”
WHO: Kavich Neang, Milcah Madlang-Awa, Veasna Heng and Cedrick Ragel
WHAT: White Is My Soul But I Prefer Black graphic design exhibition
WHERE: AD Communication, #337a Street 118 (corner of St. 215)
WHEN: From 6pm – 9pm June 21
WHY: String is a many-splendored thing