Cambodia | Naima Morelli

Published! Interview with Robit Pen on Plural Art Mag

19-04-2022

Cambodian artist Pen Robit’s work constantly bounces between figuration and abstraction. In the unpredictability of his style and subjects, he shows a willingness to explore and expand his understanding of reality through his artistic practice.

“I paint to discover the world, history, and reality through colour,” he tells me from his home studio in Phnom Penh. “I don’t care if what I’m doing is seen as contemporary art or not – my approach to painting is very classical, and I constantly look for a way to connect with the history of art.”

I have interviewed the artist for Plural Art Mag

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with collector Christoph Bendick

By: Naima Morelli

30-08-2021

Cambodia, Collection, English, Interview, Published

A collection can represent many different things; it can be a statement, contribution, research, even a love story. In the case of retired German doctor, Christoph Bendick, who has worked in Phnom Penh for 25 years, it’s the story of an encounter with a country whose painful recent history is interlaced with the resilience and strength of its people.

I have interviewed the collector for the Singapore-based magazine Plural.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Vuth Lyno at MIRAGE for Plural Art Mag

By: Naima Morelli

09-02-2021

Cambodia, English, Published, Research

I went to Cambodia for the first time in 2018, doing Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh. During my one month research trip I spoke with as many artist, curators, gallerist that I could.

Cambodia and its arts scene operated a deep transformation in my spirit, and I became very fond of the burgeoning art scene there, steadily developing despite the many difficulties.

One of the most deep, articulated conversation that I had during that time was with artist and curator Vuth Lyno. When I visited him at the art space Sa Sa BASSAC in Phnom Penh, I mostly asked him about the art community.

This time, I have interviewed him for Plural Art Mag, about it latest work Sala Samnak at Mirage Contemporary Art Space, Siem Reap.

Here is the link to the interview

Published: interview with Maline Yim on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

10-12-2019

Cambodia, English, Interview, Published, Reportage, Research

CoBo has just published my interview with Maline Yim, which I realized some time ago during my Cambodia reportage, adding some reflections based on “The Shadow of Change,” her solo exhibition earlier this year at Richard Koh Fine Art in Singapore.

“Yim lives in a house surrounded by a garden, which the artist personally tends to. The flower and plants are protected from the outside by a wall, representing a boundary that likewise allows safety for a life shaped by her gift for art-making. Here, Yim can be the nurturer—of her plants, her family and her art practice. “

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Leang Seckon on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

22-02-2019

Cambodia, Interview, Published

LeangSeckon
A few weeks ago, while I was trotting around Thailand for my new reportage on the local art scene, CoBo published my interview with Cambodian artist Leang Seckon. His work is incredible, multilayered and really a mirror of contemporary Cambodia.

I interviewed him last year as a part of my reportage on contemporary art in Cambodia, visited his studio and find him to be a generous soul and a humble and complex personality.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Vuth Lyno on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

21-11-2018

Cambodia, English, Interview, Published, Reportage, Research, Visit

VuthLyno

The developments for visual art in Cambodia are not well-known yet. At CoBo social a group of writers and I are trying to fill some gaps with articles and interviews to the protagonists of the scene.

Vuth Lyno is certainly one of the most prominent figure in the art system of the Kingdom. The director, curator, artist and art activist is a pivotal figure in the still small but growing Cambodian contemporary art scene – I have huge respect for him and was a real honour to speak with him during my trip in Phnom Penh.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Khiang Hei on Cobo

By: Naima Morelli

22-09-2018

Cambodia, English, Interview, News, Published, Reportage, Research, Visit

KhiangHei
Sometimes when I start an art exploration in a new country of Southeast Asia, I can be lucky enough to meet a figure which becomes a guide of sorts. This person usually helps me entangle the key mechanisms of the art system, and understand the psychology of local artists.

In Cambodia, this figure was Khiang Hei. In this interview published on CoBo, we tackled the most pressing issues together in the emerging Cambodian art scene. With an understanding of the local hardships, as well as a very pragmatic spirit, Khiang suggested possible solutions, some of which he has implemented himself over the years.

The piece is part of my reportage on Cambodian contemporary art.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Sophal Neak on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

07-09-2018

Cambodia, English, Interview, Published, Reportage, Research

SophalNeak
In the third installment of CoBo’s series on Cambodian photographers, I spoke with artist Sophal Neak, a rising talent in the Cambodian scene. This piece is part of my reportage on Cambodian contemporary art.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Svay Sareth on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

29-08-2018

Uncategorized

SvaySareth
My interview with Cambodian artist Svay Sareth, which took place at the beginning of the year in Siem Reap, has just been published on the webmagazine and platform for collectors CoBo Social. The article is part of my reportage on Cambodian contemporary art.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Vann Nath’s legacy on Art Republik

By: Naima Morelli

06-07-2018

Cambodia, English, Essay, News, Published, Reportage, Research

VannNath1

I’m honored and humbled to have had the chance of writing about the work of an extraordinary artist and human being such as Cambodian painter Vann Nath. The piece is out in the new issue of Art Republik and is part of the Cambodia reportage I realized in February. This is the fifth piece about Cambodian art I did for the magazine, and I’m so happy to have these beautiful pages as an outlet for the research.

In the article, which I wrote in conjunction of the publication in Italy of Vann Nath’s memoir by ADD Editore “Il pittore dei khmer rossi”, I traced the legacy of this artist on Cambodian contemporary art, and how his example and practice influenced the new generations of artists in the Kingdom.

Here is the link to the pdf version of the piece

VannNath2

Published! Interview with Srey Bandol on CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

04-07-2018

Cambodia, English, Interview, Published, Reportage, Research, Visit

I can’t be more happy and grateful when I see a new article of mine on the homepage of CoBo Social. It still gives me the same buzz of 10 years ago, when I was just starting out writing for online magazines.

This interview with Srey Bandol, co-founder of the art school Phare Ponleu Selapak in Battambang, Cambodia, is particularly rewarding because it is a part of the reportage on Cambodian contemporary art I did at the beginning of the year. I really hope that through these articles CoBo and I will be able to give a more complete picture of the art scene in this fascinating country.

Here is the link to the interview

Published! Interview with Meta Moeng on Culture360

By: Naima Morelli

13-04-2018

Cambodia, English, Interview, Published

MetaMoeng
Here we go with a new article from my Cambodia reportage; it’s so great to see all the fruits from my research coming out little by little and share all this beauty – this time through the web platform Culture360 which is all about creating trans-continental connections.

And I’m super grateful to have met art manager and Kon Len Khnhom founder Met Moeng during my trip to Phnom Penh. Coming from an art system where people don’t have to do things in the arts out of necessity, but more for individualistic reasons, it’s very heartening to see someone who daily embodies the word “service”. Through founding her own art space Kon Len Khnhom Meta really stretched herself beyond her limits, proving that it’s possible to do it if you are willing to let go of control and you are guided by sheer passion.

Coming into contact with her passion and determination was a real blast, and keeps on inspiring me!

Here is the link to the piece

Naima Morelli

Published! Interview with Robit Pen on Plural Art Mag

Published! Interview with collector Christoph Bendick

Published! Vuth Lyno at MIRAGE for Plural Art Mag

Published: interview with Maline Yim on CoBo

Published! Interview with Leang Seckon on CoBo

Published! Interview with Vuth Lyno on CoBo

Published! Interview with Khiang Hei on Cobo

Published! Interview with Sophal Neak on CoBo

Published! Interview with Svay Sareth on CoBo

Published! Vann Nath’s legacy on Art Republik

Published! Interview with Meta Moeng on Culture360

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