Something in the Signs
Oeur Sokuntevy
"Something in the Signs"
Most people, superstitious or not have at some stage glanced through the sign predictions at the back of the magazine or newspaper to see what the year has in store for them. Admit it or not?
Cambodian Signs as Oeur Sokuntevy (Tevy) points out are a very large part of Cambodian Society. Business, love, marriages, poverty, fidelity, childbirth and travel for example, all of the important things in ones life, are often stopped in their tracks if the signs are not favorable. Some people believe, some don't believe, and this can change the course of ones life for better or for worse.
Tevy's sculptures might provoke strong reactions. Her works are unique and very distinctive three dimensional sculptures with a great melding of textures, media and cultural references which evoke both traditional belief and the spirit world. Tevy has devised the 12 animals of the Cambodian Signs with a somewhat surrealist aspect to them often giving the impression of a hybrid of man and beast.
Her work made from rattan, coffee, handmade paper, paint and an array of other materials convey a very visceral and fantastical appearance. "Cambodia", she says", is developing but still in a kind of derelict state" , Tevy's work demonstrates this in the colors and materials she uses.
The seed of Oeur Sokuntevy's idea for "Something in the Signs" her second exhibition at Java Artspace in the past two years came to her simply by reading books and talking to the Cambodian people, finding out what was important to them. "This subject is something that is very prominent in the lives of Cambodian people so I wanted to explore that and show people my version of the signs."
Tevy, a very modern girl, doesn't go for any highfaluting conceptual theories when it comes to her art, it is instinctive, " I like to keep it simple and experiment. These sculptures basically come from me playing around with different materials creating artworks through trial and error." What might we create if there were no rules?
The year is the year of the Rat, Tevy's year is the Pig….. . .Quick, where's the fortune teller??
posted by Jinja @ 3:31 PM
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