The choice is clearly documentary: to tell the daily life of the producers of bricks, to explain the process, to make better known an ordinary object present everywhere and known by all. As a story, with a beginning and an end, from the clay to the building, in a beautiful tradition of color and with graphic images that punctuate the story.
Biography
KHIEV Kanel (b. 1988, Phnom Penh, Cambodia) graduated in Computer Science and Auditing but turned to photography in 2013. He uses photography, moving image and performance art to document and tell stories of personal, environmental and social issues. His personal work expresses self-depression and fragile feeling from the loss of family members which could resonate with other people who experience similar issues. His other strand of work concerns social oppression, social justices and human rights, including the problems generated by urbanization and environmental degradation such as eviction, land right and pollutions (water, air, noise and light).
Kanel has participated in a number of workshops with local and international artists on photography, moving image and performance. His work has been exhibited widely in Cambodia and regionally. His recent solo exhibition is Staircases (2018), Java Touk Kork, Phnom Penh. Select recent group exhibitions and performances include We Will Have Been Young (2017-2018), Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur; Mabini Projects, Manila; Komunitas Salihara, Jakarta; NU Art Sculpture Park, Bandung; Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film, Singapore; Hin Bus, Penang; Body of Sorrow (2018), Sa Sa Art Projects, Phnom Penh; ‘Remains,’ pop up exhibition (2018), Kon Leng Khnhom, Phnom Penh; and ‘Bricks’, Photo Phnom Penh 2017, French Institute, Phnom Penh.
Kanel is a recipient of Creative Generation Award 2018 from Java and Best Performance Award 2018 (with collaborator YON Davy) from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.