Battambang is now claiming to be Cambodia's new art capital after local artists launched its first arts festival. The Explo, short for explosion or exploration, attracted many foreigners and Cambodians from the art community as local artists painted on large blocks of ice, humans and other media their creative imagination could conceive.
Battambang art has in the past already been sung by Cambodian composers, most famous of which is Sinn Sisamouth considered to be the King of Khmer Music so although still laid back compared to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Battambang's artistic spirit continues to spark creativity. In fact, one of its students at the Battambang Institute of Technology recently won the prize in the national competition for the best computer graphics.
This initiative was spearheaded by two gallery owners in Battambang, Canadian David Ramjattan and Loven Ramos, after a successful art show in February, 2011. But at the heart of this creative stimulus in Battambang is a Cambodian NGO, Phare Ponleu Selpak. Founded in 1994 to develop the arts among the Battambang youth, Phare runs an art school and gallery. Two of its graduates just opened a gallery, Make Maek.
Another boost to the local artists is the opening of the art gallery,Sammaki, which now hosts workshops, tea parties for local artists with its artist in residence, Bo Rithy.
So watch out for the next art explo in Battambang next year and come with money if you are a collector. The galleries are now selling art from Battambang's artists in the 3 to 4 digit range and foreign collectors have now discovered Battambang as the place to go to.
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