“Srey Ni & GN, 2019” and “Och…, 2021”

Alliance Française Siem Reap

30th Nov 2024 – 17th Jan 2025

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When I can’t see with my eyes.

Srey Ni & GN, 2019

 A story, told calmly in a documentary style and without any effects. There is no judgment either; it is a story that should be simply “normal,” “banal.” Srey Ni and GN were two women who loved each other and lived together in Siem Reap for three years. Their relationship faced harsh discrimination, including from their loved ones. But this only strengthened their love. Over time, their bond allowed them to support each other, and eventually, their relationship was accepted by most of the people around them. They now live together, enjoying a supportive work environment and the acceptance of their friends and family. This story invites us to reflect on identities and to accept and respect differences. Ultimately, it is a glimmer of hope—a positive story that makes no noise or harm.

Och…, 2021

Who am I? How can I be defined and what can define me? It is around these fundamental questions, by questioning his own identity, that CHHEN Vannak develops Och…, an original series in which he is both the subject and the object. He knows that we cannot reduce someone to their physical appearance – even if this is too often what social rules impose – and he seeks to make visible a complex deep self, both gentle and anxious, harmonious and full of doubts. Which gives a whole with dark tones and an expressionist style. “Och... is scar the journey and overcomes engraved within me. Showcasing the struggles from the past, and the experiences that have made me exist. The disconnection between my body, soul, and family keeps me grounded and descended from society.”

CHHEN Vannak born in 1993 in Siem Reap, Cambodia is a Phnom Penh-based artist working in photography, design, video, and performance. A 2016 graduate of the Faculty of Information and Technology, he founded project called ‘moool creation’, focusing on creative consultation and conceptualization.

Vannak’s work explores identity and existence. Recent exhibitions include "Is Beauty Truly Resilient" at 5Pointz and the University of Kon Kaen (2024), and "Neak Leng Tek"at Treeline Gallery (2023). He has participated in the Angkor Photo Workshop and is developing the ongoing photo piece "Holding On."

He completed the Contemporary Documentary &Photography Program at Sa Sa Art Projects (2020) and has been involved in group exhibitions such as "Adaptation?" (2021), "The Simultaneous" (2021), and the projection "Someone Like You (Sreyni & GN)" at Mirage, Siem Reap (2021). He also participated in a photo workshop in Siem Reap (2019).