Much conversation about Cambodia is framed against retrospective narratives surrounding the majestic Angkor temples or the devastating Khmer Rouge genocide. While these are undoubtedly pivotal moments in the country’s history, the longer Team Raintree hangs out with friends in the creative industries, the more we realise that so much more is unfolding in our cultural landscape. We believe huge feats as impressive as the first Cambodian artist showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the first Cambodian winning an Emmy award for outstanding visual effects, have not been as widely celebrated in mainstream media. Sadly these incredible achievements are often overshadowed by clickbait headlines such as road accidents, scandals or the recent pandemic.
Photos: recording artist VannDa, installation by Sopheap Pich, and dancer-turned-actor Piseth Chhun
As Team Raintree is still riding the high of the first Cambodian to win at the world’s oldest film festival recently, we decided to celebrate Cambodian contemporary arts this month. We feature five milestones that we believe are changing the way the world looks at our arts and culture forever. See our rundown below, from film to music to fine arts.
FILM
Khmer-American Artist Wins Multiple Emmy Awards for Visual Effects
The Emmy Awards are some of the most prestigious honours that anyone dreams of in the television industry, and Sina San made history when she became the first Cambodian artist to win an Emmy. Recognised as a world-class Visual FX Director, Sina picked up the award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects (not once, but twice!) for her work on the Batman-inspired crime series Gotham and dystopian sci-fi series Westworld.
From drawing on walls as a young girl, to now bringing the unimaginable world to life in Hollywood films such as Transformers, Alice in Wonderland, and Star Trek, Sina’s success story is as inspiring as they come. It represents hope not only for other emerging women in the creative industries, but also for first-generation immigrants all over the world. If you’re interested to see more of her work, have a look at her prolific project credits >> here.
Khmer-American Visual FX Director Sina San and selected works
Khmer Actor Wins at the 2020 Venice Film Awards
Piseth had barely six months of acting training before he played the leading role in Cambodia’s recently heralded film - the White Building. The film is directed by Kavich Neang, who himself used to call the building home before it was controversially demolished in 2017. The feature film follows the life of protagonist Samnang (Piseth) who is trying to make it as a professional dancer with his family’s disapproval of his chosen path in performing arts, while simultaneously facing displacement from his lifelong home.
For his first appearance in a feature film, Piseth made history being the first Cambodian actor to pick up the Orizzonti Best Actor Award, at the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival. In addition, the film’s nomination for Best Film category is in itself a major milestone for Cambodian cinema. One of the ‘Big Three’ festivals in the film calendar, the Venice Film Festival is the world’s oldest, founded in 1932, known for its focus on international art films, alongside both the Cannes and Berlin film festivals earlier in the year.
Although the film is not available for streaming yet, we’re looking forward to watching the film on the big screen soon (scheduled for later this year in Phnom Penh - Covid permitting). To discover more on the making of the film, explore the press kit >> here.
Stills from the White Building feature film (2021). Coming to cinemas soon.
MUSIC
Khmer Original Track Smashes YouTube Record, Hitting 1M Views In 24hrs
The new movement of Khmer original music has been making waves in the country, but it’s the Sihoanoukville-born hiphop artist VannDa that is taking it to a whole new level. Spitting fire with hard-hitting lyrics that naturally flow in Khmer and English, layered with contemporary beats and traditional instrumentals, what VannDa creates isn’t just music - he’s creating a new genre. In his own way, he’s mapping out what contemporary hiphop can sound like in Khmer.
Earlier this year, VannDa collaborated with Master Kong Nay, Cambodia’s legendary chapei musician, to release ‘Time To Rise’, an uplifting anthem that broke records to become the first Khmer original music video to hit 1M views in 24 hours. It’s now at 70M+ views and we’re so pumped to watch it become the first original Khmer track to hit 100M views. Join the watch party now and stream the MV below!
Baramey Production & Warner Music Sign First Major Music Label Deal in Cambodia
One of the pioneers in Cambodia’s original music industry (and VannDa’s professional family!), Baramey Production was founded by talented musician and entrepreneur Laura Mam in 2016. Its mission is to nurture talent of original musicians from pop to hiphop to RnB and beyond. The label plays a key role in developing artists such as band Kmeng Khmer and singer Sophia Kao, providing the critical resources and platforms for sustainable success.
This new partnership between Baramey Production and ADA Asia (part of Warner Music Group) marks the first time a Cambodian music production company has signed with any major international recording company. Not only does this mean that more people around the world will be able to hear tunes by these incredible musicians, but this now also means that, in Laura’s words, ”Cambodia is no longer participating as a viewer of the worldwide music industry, now we are a player. Cambodian music is no longer in the backseat, we are in the driving seat and we can choose to go wherever we so wish.”
Explore Baramey Production’s portfolio here, or hear more from Laura Mam on her musical mission in her TedX Talk >> here.
Baramey Production signed with Warner Music Group, 2021.
ARTS
First Cambodian Artist Solo Exhibition At the Metropolitan Museum of Art
As the Guggenheim, Centre Georges Pompidou, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are unarguably three of the leading contemporary art institutions in the world, you may be surprised to know that a Cambodian contemporary artist has his work featured in all three collections. A painter by trade, Sopheap Pich soon turned to mixed media sculpture working with bamboo, rattan, and metal more heavily later in his career. Appreciating working with natural materials and the process of creating something out of nothing, it continues to be one of his main working materials to this day.
Sopheap’s work explores history and cultural identity in visceral ways, as he is inspired by the shape and form of human anatomy, vegetal forms, and abstract geometric structures. This was also reflected in his first solo exhibition at the Met in 2013. From a woven Buddha figure that symbolises a religion facing erasure during the Khmer Rouge, to a grid that timelessly encapsulates his memory of a trip he took to Ratannakiri, his works are dynamic and abstract.
Sopheap is now based in Cambodia with his studio just outside of Phnom Penh, although his work now lives in over 20 countries around the world. We’re also lucky to have more than one piece of his work in our building! If you’re ever around, take a moment to stop by our lobby or visit BROWN Raintree to admire yet another large piece while enjoying your coffee. Explore his profile with the Met >> here and see more of his exhibition biography >> here.
Buddha + Ordeal by Sopheap Pich
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When we think about Cambodian arts and culture, flagship international media sensations like the glamorous Emmy Awards in LA and the Venice Film Festival are hardly the first things that come to mind. For many professional artists around the world, these achievements are the endgame they dream of as indicators of success. This is why Team Raintree is so proud to highlight that not only has Cambodia been represented on these prestigious platforms, but Cambodian artists have also been awarded with international honours that recognise incredible talent, vision, and just plain hard work. Team Raintree truly believes that Cambodia has so much to contribute to the world, and that our best times are yet to come.