Phnom Penh & Exhibition: Khmer arts, culture, and Khmer cuisine at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal

The Raffles Hotel Le Royal and The Gallerist continue their collaboration with the TranscenDance exhibition by talented Cambodian artists DinArt and Ramya Chuon, which opened last Monday.

TranscenDance presented by DinArt and Ramya Chuon

Dance takes center stage in this artistic painting exhibition featuring talented artists DinArt and Ramya Chuon.

Inspiration

Dance, the jewel of Khmer culture, is at the heart of tradition. In their quest for the perfect movement, apsara dancers are an endless source of inspiration for those seeking to discover the sacred meaning of life. The slow movements and delicate postures transport viewers on a journey to ancient times.

“DinArt transcribes the elevation of the soul through the precise gestures of the dancers, suggesting the attainment of ultimate grace. Like an attempt to escape earthly destiny, the dancers float in the air, transporting us to another possible world,” says Julie Thai (The Gallerist).

DinArt uses her talent to enhance the art of dance, while playing with colors and textures. Her brushes manage to recreate the fluidity of the dancers' almost aerial movements, as if time were suspended.

Julie Thai alongside Theang Borin (DinArt)

For Ramya Chuon, the dancers' performances, which are both ethereal and down-to-earth in a hieratic spirit, seem to be a real mystery to be deciphered. The dance provokes an instinctive desire to get closer to their strength and beauty, but also to their “nobility,” suggested by the play of light and their slow, mesmerizing rhythm.

The work on the Apsara dancers is a subject linked to cultural memory and Khmer origins. In the early 1900s, Auguste Rodin discovered the Apsaras, who were a real source of inspiration, even a true aesthetic revelation!

Gastronomy

The opening coincided with the launch of the new menu at Le Royal restaurant. The menu offers an exquisite blend of authentic royal Khmer dishes and innovative Khmer cuisine, providing a modern reinterpretation of traditional flavors. Among the signature dishes, guests were treated to:

• Shrimp ceviche - Shrimp marinated with ripe mango, fragrant Khmer herbs, creamy coconut milk, and basil oil. Inspired by the traditional dish bongkie khtis doung

• Pork rib soup with pineapple and squash - Slow-cooked pork ribs in a tangy broth with pineapple, winter melon, and traditional Khmer spices. Inspired by Somlor M'chou Khtis Manors

• Grilled red snapper - Marinated mustard leaves, small white radishes, brown butter sauce. Inspired by the traditional dish Trey Arng Spey Chrouk

• Oven-roasted rack of lamb - Market vegetables, coconut shavings, lemongrass-chili sauce, Khmer anchovies, and wild flowers. Inspired by the traditional dish Sach Jeam Dot

• Crispy Ambok - Golden fried Ambok, warm banana, creamy coconut ice cream. Inspired by Ambok Karem

Shrimp ceviche

About the artists

DinArt

After earning a bachelor's degree in architecture in 2005 and working as an architect for several years, Theang Borin, better known as DinArt, explored his innate talent for drawing and painting. This self-taught artist has become one of Cambodia's most popular and famous painters. DinArt is known for his deep commitment to preserving and promoting various dance traditions, seamlessly blending complex narratives with movements that reflect profound cultural stories.

Theang Borin, better known as DinArt

The abstract expression of cultural and religious heritage (Apsaras and Buddha) is one of the main sources of inspiration for DinArt's work, and his art conceals a deep spirituality, a quest for transcendence towards the perfect gesture. Determined to impose his unique style, DinArt plays with textures and bright colors, using bold brushstrokes and hand gestures, seeking the forms and movements of traditional dance.

His talent and pictorial technique are undeniably a valuable contribution to Cambodian visual art.

Ramya Chuon

Ramya CHUON is a visual artist born in November 1975, a graduate of the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de France. Originally from Cambodia, Ramya arrived in Dijon at the age of 5, when drawing was a valuable tool for communicating with others. His works, which reflect a constant questioning of his Khmer roots, are closely linked to the search for identity.

Ramya Chuon

Ramya Chuon uses multiple techniques: he creates background textures and certain elements using digital technology, while drawing the details in ink and with natural pigments.

Painting is a means of communication, a way to reach the essence of life in search of perfect movement. With his series of dancers, the artist evokes deep memories of Cambodia, vibrant echoes of his homeland.

The new modern Khmer menu and the art exhibition by DinArt and Ramya Chuon will be available for three months.

More photos from the opening here