The many styles of Cambodian artist Ny Vannak
Sunday, Feb 13 will provide a chance for a glimpse into the artistic world of Cambodian painter and photographer Ny Vannak. The artist will be holding an open house at her new studio that day between 1 and 6pm. It can be found in the nest of laneways off St 51, just south of Wat Lanka (very close to Embargo, where Ny also tends bar part time).
Ny’s new space is doubling as a place to both present and store her artwork. “The studio is mostly somewhere I can work and paint with no one disturbing me. And after I have finished the work, I want to show it to people. And now they can come have a look to see if they like them.”
“It took a village to launch this artist”
Born in Kampong Cham province in 1983 Ny shared she had wanted to go to school but her mum couldn’t afford it. She remembers sitting home and trying to learn whatever she could when she as not busy travelling by boat to Kampong Cham City to purchase things to sell in her village. “Buy and sell, buy and sell. The village was very poor in those times. It is different now,” she noted in our chat
Later, while working in a factory, she started to take short courses in English and eventually she began to work in the city, mostly in restaurants. A big change would follow though later while working as a teacher’s aide in Singapore.
Ny explains, saying, “In Singapore I got interested in painting and photography. When I had a day off, I would go to art museums and art fairs. There were so many and that inspired me to create art. Before I lived in a deep hole. I couldn’t find any light. Singapore helped me discover what art can be. Back when I was in the factory, I made big drawings, but it was just for fun and relaxing. I didn’t feel art was important yet.”
Inspired by the abundance of public art and galleries in Singapore, the artist in her was stirred towards a photographic direction.
“I would get my bag ready with some clothes and make up and go to places that I liked. And then I would dress up and make portraits. I used a digital camera, a Lumix GX1. I did it alone, setting a timer for ten seconds, then I’d run to the spot, show some emotion on camera and act like in the movies. I never thought anything would happen with these pictures. Portrait photography was just something I enjoyed doing. Just recently musician and poet Scott Bywater wrote words for my photos. It really surprised me and I really appreciate it.”
A collaboration of words and visions
Ny’s collaboration with Phnom Penh based Scott Bywater – Self Portraits: Singapore 2014 – 2017 – is part of the exhibition side of Sunday’s event. For each image a corresponding poem imagines an interior monologue for the pictured character.
“The photos reminded me of Cindy Sherman’s film stills,” says the Phnom Penh-based Bywater. He adds, “Far from being selfies, they were fully costumed and carefully designed, as if capturing an actor at work. I played with a selection of them from the wider collection until suddenly in a rush, I crafted poems for five of them.”
These will hang alongside a selection of her paintings, from portraits to flights of abstraction.
Now re-settled in Phnom Penh, Ny is driven by a desire to move forward artistically. “When I returned to Cambodia, I had already done some artwork and I started to get some money to help me buy art supplies. In my creations I always try to make something different. Sometimes I am bored with creating only one project, a portrait or whatever, and my mind wants to explore. When we are creative, we cannot make the same thing the same, the same, the same. I like to explore different styles.”
She adds, “Sometimes I like to go on Google Maps and see different countries or someone posting a very interesting photo or something that my brain just thinks is a good idea. And that makes me think. Okay, I’m going to do this.”
Ny’s Feb 13 studio open house runs from 1 pm to 6 pm. Refreshments will be served.
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Author: Leon Havana
A trained chef and sports aficionado with extensive experience across South America and Asia. Leon’s culinary creations celebrate local flavors, while his love for sports like football and boxing connects him with local communities.
