Cambodian Identities: Freedom and Memory at Sofitel Gallery

At the Gallery of Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, the exhibition "Ekarieach All Stars – Identity" brings together twenty-six artists in a measured reflection on identity, shaped by history and contemporary transformations.

This project, stemming from a national multi-arts competition, commemorates the 70th anniversary of Cambodia's independence and questions creative freedom in a context of cultural resilience.

Genesis of the Ekarieach Project

The Ekarieach competition, whose Khmer term means "independence," was launched in 2023 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Cambodian independence in 2023, and continued with a second edition centered on the theme of water. These initiatives selected talents from various disciplines: painting, sculpture, photography, and digital arts. The current exhibition gathers the winners and distinguished participants, transforming the Gallery into a living archive where aesthetic expressions and societal issues converge.

Portraits of Artists and Singular Trajectories

The exhibition's information panels provide a detailed human panorama, lining up portraits, biographies, and national flags. Among the notable figures are artists from Phare Ponleu Selpak, the iconic Battambang institution training young talents. Fine arts professors trained in Europe, career changers from modest backgrounds, and practitioners marked by exile or past conflicts also stand out. Their stories, soberly recorded, evoke paths of hardship, commitment, or transmission, feeding introspective works steeped in collective memory.

Themes of Identity and Resilience

The exhibition explores identity not as a fixed essence, but as an open question: who am I as an artist and member of an evolving community? The creations, often intimate, address the aftermath of war, displacements, and national reconstruction, while incorporating humor and tenderness. Recurring themes emerge: cultural scars, the relationship to water as a symbol of purification, and the reappropriation of Khmer myths to project future horizons.

The Central Role of Sofitel Gallery

Located in the heart of Phnom Penh, Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra asserts itself as a Franco-Khmer cultural hub, regularly hosting temporary exhibitions. The Gallery, a free and daily accessible space from January 20 to February 28, 2026, fosters exchanges between local artists, the Phnom Penh public, expatriates, and travelers. This institutional support strengthens Ekarieach's reach, positioning the hotel as an incubator of talents within a capital undergoing rapid urban transformation.

Works and Visual Dialogues

The welcome panel explicitly poses the curatorial question: what expressive signatures define each artist's identity? Visitors traverse a mosaic of varied works, from abstract paintings evoking historical traumas to digital installations questioning Khmer modernity. Artists like Séra, an illustrator exploring memory and exile, or others from the portrait wall, embody this diversity, inviting a nuanced reading of current Cambodian cultural dynamics.

Historical Context and Contemporary Stakes

Ekarieach fits into a revitalized Cambodian artistic tradition post-Khmer Rouge, where freedom of expression reemerges after decades of imposed silence. The exhibition dialogues with the 70 years of independence (1953-2023) and persistent challenges: rapid urbanization, cultural tourism, and preservation of intangible heritages. It highlights a generation of artists who, far from tourist clichés, reinvest national symbols to narrate personal and collective stories.

Perspectives and Cultural Legacy

Open to a broad audience, this free event extends the competition's spirit by stimulating conversations on identity through creation. It underscores the growing role of private initiatives, like Sofitel's, in Phnom Penh's artistic ecosystem. Ultimately, Ekarieach could inspire further thematic editions, consolidating Phnom Penh as a regional hub for contemporary Khmer arts.

Invitation to Visit

From January 20 to February 28, 2026, the Gallery invites immersion in this constellation of Cambodian identities. QR codes on the panels facilitate access to biographies and works, enriching the visitor experience. A rare opportunity to gauge the vitality of an artistic scene that, soberly, reconciles past and future.

More photographs here...