"Their Name is Piehsak": John Vink Gives Faces to Forgotten Displaced Khmer Families

In Phnom Penh, the exhibition "Their Name is Piehsak" by John Vink opens on January 30, 2026, at The Gallerist, turning photography into a powerful act of solidarity for families displaced by the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict.

This poignant project makes the invisible visible: lives shattered, like that of baby Piehsak "Refugee," born into war and cradled by his grandmother amid 80 families exiled near Road 68. Through an immersive pop-up, a collector's book, and itinerant events, Vink blends art with humanitarian action, urging Khmers and Cambodia's friends to fund emergency food, mental health support, and reintegration.​

John Vink's Incisive Gaze

Born in Brussels in 1948, John Vink honed his eye at La Cambre Fine Arts School from 1968, freelancing by 1971 and joining Agence Vu in 1986. Winner of the prestigious Eugene Smith Award for Water in the Sahel, he has documented 25 refugee and IDP situations since 1987—from Malawi to Mexico, including Khmer camps in 1989. A Magnum member until 2017, he lived in Cambodia from 2000 to 2016, publishing Avoir 20 Ans à Phnom Penh (2000) and Poids Mouche on Khmer boxing (2006). Splitting time between Belgium and Asia since, his Sidelines (2025) marked a Charleroi retrospective. Here, Vink transcends spectacle: his images seize everyday dignity—intimate gestures, fragile hopes—restoring humanity that headlines swiftly erase.​

Immersive Pop-Up at The Gallerist

From Friday, January 30 at 6 PM to Sunday, February 1 at 6 PM, The Gallerist (15-17 Street 240, corner Street 19) hosts 14 signed archival prints on Hahnemühle Rag paper (40x60 cm, framed 60x80 cm). Priced at $1,500 each—with two books and certificate of authenticity—100% of proceeds go to targeted NGOs for temporary shelters, psychosocial aid, child education, and safe returns. The launch coincides with the book Their Name is Piehsak: 88 pages, 51 duotone photos on premium stock, hardcover, 500 copies at $25 (80% donated, 20% for costs). Reserve now via email (contact@thegallerist.asia, tel. 017 700 328); first come, first served. This model makes collecting accessible and impactful, merging private passion with philanthropy.​

Itinerant Projections and Encounters

The momentum extends through free projection, Q&A, and signing evenings, making the project nomadic:

• January 31, 7 PM, Meta House (48 Street 228/12207, tel. 010 312 333): Dive into the images, converse with Vink.​

• February 6, 6:30 PM, Raintree Cambodia (299 Preah Ang Duong St. 110, tel. 085 385 728): Focus on reintegration.​

• February 24, 6:30 PM, Institut Français (218 Keo Chea, tel. 023 985 611): Cultural finale, anonymous QR code donations.​

Buy books or prints on-site; all gifts fully donated. These stops amplify Khmer solidarity, engaging expats, NGOs, and concerned citizens.​

Why "Piehsak" Resonates Now

"Piehsak" means "refugee" in Khmer, the name for a baby born two weeks before fleeing—his brief life already scarred by war. Vink captures not border chaos, but the aftermath: families loading carts onto tractors, sandy camps by ponds, children under tents, collective resilience amid uncertainty. Photography becomes living memory, countering media amnesia. Launched in January 2026 amid fresh crisis, it spotlights Cambodia's grassroots response—food drives, psychological support. Your purchase funds directly: 80 such families, with full transparency (email vinkjicloud.com, Telegram 855 129 88455).​

Portrait of Resilience in Exile

Vink's lens lingers on quiet power: a grandmother's hold, shared meals in makeshift homes, children's games defying fear. These 51 book images, rendered in duotone for timeless depth, avoid pity, emphasizing endurance. The 14 exhibition prints, large-scale and tactile, invite prolonged gaze, each a portal to individual stories within collective plight. Beyond aesthetics, they document a border war's human toll, echoing Vink's global refugee oeuvre while rooting in Cambodia's soil—his home for 16 years.​

Cultural Call to Action

Khmers, expats, Kingdom allies: act now. Secure exclusive prints, multiple books ($25), or direct gifts. The Gallerist upholds its mission: art serving humanity. Visit https://www.thegallerist.asia or Street 240 maps. Their Name is Piehsak transcends exhibition—it's a bridge from gaze to reality, dignity to deed. Don't miss this visual and solidaristic shockwave in Phnom Penh.