Rubber man

Rubber man alludes to the ongoing establishment of vast, foreign-owned rubber plantations, displacing villagers and destroying communities and places of spiritual significance in Ratanakiri Province. Khvay Samnang (Cambodia b.1982) is shown pouring a bucket of white rubber sap over his face and naked body, obscuring his features and masking his identity.

Samnang is a founding member of the first Cambodian contemporary artist collective, Stiev Selapak / Art Rebels, who established the first dedicated exhibition spaces for contemporary art in Cambodia. His works carry strong social and political messages which he acts out. Using his own body to interact with his surroundings and connect with places and communities, he exposes social issues that have emerged in Cambodia from practices such as land acquisition and private development.

Exhibited in 'The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT8) | 21 Nov 2015 – 10 Apr 2016