INTERNATIONAL: After a one-year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Toch Toch group exhibition was opened on Saturday, 19 March, at Plantation Urban Resort & Spa. The exhibition will run until 1 May.
Nowhere Art Studio organized and created the Toch Toch group exhibition, which showcases the works of 26 multinational artists, including artists from France, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Britain, South Korea, Canada, Serbia, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Syahrulfikri Salleh, also known as Ajin, and Lolli Park are the co-founders of Nowhere Art Studio.
They talked to EAC News about the purpose of this exhibition, how they selected the artists, and the overall theme.
Ajin said, “The purpose of this exhibition is to give a platform for everybody to come together to participate to showcase their art. So we did an open call to invite anyone no matter what is their artistic background, what is their level of skill to participate to exhibit. We have art students, art teachers, hobbyists, professional artists who are showcasing their work. The theme of the exhibition is called Toch Toch which means small small. So the requirement is for everybody to submit an artwork smaller than 30cm by 30cm.”
This exhibition aims to provide accessible, affordable and unique art to the public for less than $300 dollars apiece. The exhibition includes a variety of original artworks in different forms, from doodles, paintings, silkscreens to embroideries and ceramics.
As someone who started painting in 2018 and gradually experimented with different mediums, including water color and acrylic, Christine Arce said she is excited to participate in her first group exhibition. She doesn’t usually exhibit her work due to time constraints, but she is glad to join this exhibition to meet other like-minded artists and to learn from one another.
She said, “I hope [this exhibition] builds awareness for the artist community in Phnom Penh, both local and international artists who are staying and living here. I hope it inspires the younger generations to pursue art as a career or even as a hobby.”
Art enthusiast, Chy, was happy to join this event to explore what’s happening in the art scene, especially to meet new artists and see their interesting works.
He said, “I think this exhibition is a good opportunity for aspiring artists in Cambodia to showcase their artworks and a big motivation for other young generation artists…So far I really like one artwork over there. It’s a painting of an apsara lady dancing and stuff, and on the background, there’s this golden sun. So it’s kinda reflect the culture of Cambodia.”
That apsara painting was created by Sieng Sukunthkanika, one of the participating artists. Sukunthkanika said she loved that there are exhibitions being held again as she has been waiting to show her works ever since the pandemic started. She especially loved the theme of the current exhibition and hoped that people would “enjoy something small, beautiful, and meaningful”, just as she has.
She said, “I love them all. Everything looks amazing, and it looks different from each other. Yeah, everything here is so different. Have everything for everybody."
On the exhibition’s opening day, there was a Macrame Plant Hanger Workshop organized by Rena Chheang and a Live Painting Demonstration by Srdan Illic, accompanied with music from DJ Kaztet and Falafel con Mate.
There will more exhibition activities such as a Self Portrait Workshop, Block Printing Workshop, Free Life Drawing Workshop, and Live Silkscreen Demonstration. For more information on the workshops, you can check out the event’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/319411176880504.
The exhibition will run until 1 May at Plantation Urban Resort & Spa in Phnom Penh.
