Svay Sareth (b. 1972, Cambodia) was born during a period of political turmoil and violence that would last until he was 18 years old. Svay began making art as a young teenager in the Site 2 refugee camp, near the Thai-Cambodian border. He describes life as a refugee as “void nationality…a time and place you imagine escaping from.” Drawing and painting became a daily activity for Svay ‚ a process of bearing witness to the psychological and physical violence that was an everyday experience, as well as a way to symbolically escape and dream of change. After the wars ended, Svay went on to co-found Phare Ponlue Selepak, a non-governmental organisation and art school in Battambang that continues to thrive today. In 2002, the artist continued his studies in France, earning the Diplôme National Supérieur d’Études des Arts Plastiques / MFA in 2009, after which he returned to Siem Reap to live and work.
Svay Sareth
CONTINUE EXPLORING
exhibition
Arus Balik: From below the wind to above the wind and back again
22 Mar 2019 - 23 Jun 2019
exhibition
The Oceanic
09 Dec 2017 - 06 Mar 2018
exhibition
Campur, Tolak, Kali, Bahagi, Sama Dengan (Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, Equals) Solo Project by Roslisham Ismail aka Ise
16 Jan 2021 - 07 Mar 2021
residency
Sim Chi Yin
United Kingdom
26 Oct 2020 - 28 May 2021
residency
Kin Chui
Singapore
01 Apr 2020 - 29 Sep 2020
residency
Erika Tan
Singapore
06 Jul 2015 - 03 Aug 2015
residency
Green Zeng
SIngapore
01 Apr 2020 - 29 Sep 2020
exhibition
Journey of a Yellow Man. Selected Materials from the Independent Archive
15 Sep 2018 - 25 Nov 2018
residency
Zarina Muhammad
Singapore
01 Apr 2019 - 27 Sep 2019
exhibition
Ghosts and Spectres – Shadows of History
01 Sep 2017 - 19 Nov 2017
residency
Chia-Wei Hsu
Taiwan
03 Jul 2017 - 31 Aug 2017