The art of transition: the exhibition "VARY" by Nout Daro and Thun Dina

Two Cambodian artists, Nout Daro and Thun Dina, invite the public to reflect on change, identity, and the evolution of contemporary society through their joint exhibition titled « VARY ». Presented at the Rosewood Phnom Penh gallery, this artistic encounter combines pictorial sensitivity and conceptual depth, translating the inner quest of a generation caught between memory and modernity.

The art of transition: the exhibition "VARY" by Nout Daro and Thun Dina

Born from the desire to confront their universes, « VARY » is not simply an exhibition; it is a visual dialogue between two artistic voices in the midst of affirmation. For Nout Daro, the theme of transition refers to the transformation of matter as a metaphor for the perpetual movement of life. For Thun Dina, it is a more intimate passage, that of the inner self evolving over time and experiences. Together, they build a space of exchange where art becomes a reflection of a changing Cambodian society.

Daro's works, often marked by abstract compositions and subtle plays of textures, evoke the fluidity of change. He paints mist, passage, the indeterminate—those zones where nothing is fixed. With spontaneous gestures and nuanced tones, he seeks to capture the ephemeral moment when one form dissolves to give rise to another. "Nothing is stable, everything transforms—even the soul," confides the artist, emphasizing his fascination with the metamorphosis of emotions and materials.

Opposite this meditative lightness, Thun Dina's works rest more on introspection and symbolism. His plastic vocabulary associates organic forms with fragmented human figures, expressing the conflict between the visible and the invisible, the past and the present. In his paintings as well as in his sculptures, the spiritual dimension imposes itself.

"I want to translate the silent vibration of change," he explains, "the one that is not seen but deeply felt."

This face-to-face between two sensitivities, far from opposing each other, reveals a subtle harmony. By adopting the word « VARY »—which means "change" or "alteration"—as the title, the two artists sign a strong aesthetic statement: to accept variation as an essential condition of life. Their joint approach advocates neither rupture nor nostalgia, but the fragile balance of a world in perpetual becoming.

The exhibition fits into a larger dynamic of renewal in the Cambodian artistic scene.

After decades of silence imposed by history, a new generation of artists emerges, eager to question symbols, revisit traditions, and redefine their place in the globalized world. In this context, Daro and Dina embody this search for fluid identity, where transformation is perceived not as a loss but as a rebirth.

Some installations use transparency and emptiness to suggest impermanence, others mobilize natural materials—wood, pigments, fibers—to recall the organic dimension of the cycle of life. The exhibition thus invites us to experience change not as a rupture, but as a breath.

Through this collaboration, Nout Daro and Thun Dina create a work with four hands where sensitivities respond to each other in a silent choreography. Their work is a testament to a rare intellectual complicity and a shared will to elevate contemporary Cambodian art to a level of universal reflection. By dialoguing with the public, their creations open a space for listening and contemplation on how we individually and collectively experience the transformation of the world.

In the end, « VARY » is not limited to a contemporary art exhibition: it is an invitation to think of change as a positive force, a vital principle. In a Cambodia undergoing social, urban, and cultural mutation, this artistic proposal resonates like an echo of the search for meaning of a generation in transition. The works of Daro and Dina remind us that, in art as in life, beauty lies above all in movement.

The exhibition runs until December 11, 2025.