Sopheap Pich, Sculptor...

“Global Hybrid” group exhibition, Meta House,
July 2 to August 2, 2009, Phnom Penh.

“WRITHS” by Sopheap Pich

Rattan and wire, 2009, 110 cm x 145 cm x 130 cm

Based in Phnom Penh, Sopheap Pich is a Cambodian artist. He was born in Battambang in 1971 and has emigrated to Amherst, Massachussets, USA in 1984, with his parents and his three brothers. During his College years, Sopheap eventually traveled, studied and lived in Miami, Chicago, France and Boston where he received his Masters of Arts.
In 2002, Sopheap Pich decided to come back living in Cambodia. In Phnom Penh he has settled a space for work, found his voice (abandoning painting for sculpture) and his material, rattan and bamboo, which he uses to create his sculptures, some of them referring to the body and our organs, and the feelings and emotions that our mind and spirit experience through them.


One of the most prominent artists in Cambodia today, Pich now receives international interest. His work is currently represented by H Gallery in Bangkok, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in Hong Kong and Tyler Rollins Fine Art in New York City. Important past shows include “The Best of Discovery” and “The Ke Center for the Contemporary Art”, both in Shanghai, or a participation at the Fukuoka Triennale in Japan. In November, Pich will open "The Pulse Within", a solo show in New York. In December he will be part of the Asia Pacific Triennale in Queensland, Australia. Few Cambodian artists have yet been that prolific and successful to that international level. Still, Sopheap Pich recognizes that this is something he couldn’t have achieved if he had not secured great working relationships with the two assistants working with him in his studio...Sopheap Pich's work is online at http://sopheappich.com/
















Toma (above left and below), 31, Sopheap’s assistant. They have worked together since 2004.

See a multimedia version of this story at : http://stephanejanin.com/2009/09/29/sopheap-pich-sculptor/


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Deported... Returned...

In the 1980s, the American government has welcomed some 145 000 Cambodians, most of them from the different refugees camps of the Thai border. For some of the children of these Cambodian refugees, America has sometimes played unwanted tricks, taking advantage some twenty years later of their lacking the American citizenship: in March 2002, the United States signed a deportation agreement with Cambodia.
Since then deportation back to Cambodia has become the fate of more than 200 Cambodian Americans (212 to this day) who had encountered the American justice system. Many of the deported are people who left Cambodia as babies or young children or who were born in the Thai refugee camps, having never touched Cambodian soil in their entire lives. They’re from California, Massachussets, Minnesota, Texas, Florida and other places in the US where Cambodians have gathered. And they will never be allowed to go back to America, even for a short family visit!

Unlike the integration of others Asian nationalities, the integration of Cambodians to the American life has not always been easy. Many surveys in the last decade show that Cambodians usually have some of the worst rates in terms of poverty living, access to American citizenship, access to college studies, use of the English language…
The reality for many returnees was simple, especially for those living on the West Coast (California, Oregon and Washington State): handled badly by Black or Hispanic gangs, their response has been to regroup and create their own gangs to protect themselves, their family, eventually their community… Tiny Little Rascals, Cold Blooded Cambodians, Bishop Street Blood are a few of these gangs, evidences that the integration model in the United States – at least for the Cambodians – has not been totally successful.

Among the returnees are probably harden criminals, yet many people have been, still are, and will unfortunately be deported for minor crimes, even after they often have repaid their debts to society and rebuilt their life, with a steady job, family and children. Among the deported are also individuals who need psychological or personal help to deal with difficult circumstances, help that they have never received. These individual considerations make no difference to the ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service of the United States, for which any crime or offence, minor as it may be (for example: shoplifting, street drinking, etc), is considered an “aggravated felony” from the moment it is committed by a non-citizen. These offences, committed up to 20 years ago in some cases, bring with them the possibility of deportation. Good-bye America! Hello Cambodia!

Returnees often arrive without resources, as money is frequently stolen from them by the immigration authorities during their arrival at Pochentong Airport. Returnees also usually arrive without knowledge of Cambodian culture, habits and social rules. At the Returnee Integration Support Center (RISC), a diminishing staff is doing the best it can to provide a place for these Returnees. Funding was available early on, but after USAID withdrew support for the project, staff at RISC has diminished to just a few people to help the Returnees with housing, health, education and most of all finding a job.
If a some returnees have succeeded getting good jobs correctly paid (from a Cambodian point of view…), sometimes even creating their own organization and receiving fame international fame and attention (such as KK and “Tiny Toons), most returnees don’t have the chance to be in a great positive mood. Some face real physical or health concerns, sometimes crippled by malnutrition or drug abuse. Some face psychological issues or depression, some end up in the streets, weak, vulnerable and often the victim of violent crime.

On July 4th some returnees from the Phnom Penh area (some now live in the countryside, making their life as farmers) gathered at RISC in Phnom Penh Bœung Tompun neighborhood, to celebrate the 7th year’s reunification of Cambodian American returnees. Barbecue, sodas, hamburgers were at the menu. Some returnees came with their girlfriend or spouse, and kids, some time to share the latest info, get some news from friends, spend an afternoon in a friendly environment… A gathering to try to warm the heart of some guys who face a big challenge in their life, in a country – Cambodia - that is not well known to provide immediate safety nets for those in need…

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Boomer, a returnee rapping destiny

See a mutlimedia version of this story at:

http://stephanejanin.com/2009/09/12/boomer-a-returnee-rapping-destiny/

Boomer is 27 years old. He was born in a refugee camp on the Thai border and arrived in the United States when he was just a baby. He has lived in Stockton, California. In 2003, after a couple of years spent in a Californian jail, he got deported back to Cambodia, in the “6th group” of returnees. Boomer is one of the 212 returnees who have already been deported back to a native country that they barely know – if not at all – when they arrive on the Cambodian soil. After his arrival, Boomer quickly realized that he couldn’t give up hope and looked forward to reconstruct a new life in Phnom Penh. Though it’s not easy at all, Boomer – in comparison with other returnees - hasn’t done too bad, even if he admits still struggling to make ends meet, support his family and the project that he has started.

Boomer has created his own organization, “A+ Entertainment”, certainly inspired by the success of KK and his organization “Tiny Toons”. Boomer is an artistic producer, mixer and DJ, but most of all he is an educator and role model for the young boys he brings off the streets of Phnom Penh, where he gives them a chance or at least a ticket to the growing rap-hip-hop-DJ club scene in Cambodia.

The “Khmer Tassou”, four boys who dream of being under the television spotlights, working under the mentoring and tutoring of Boomer, an older brother or a dad they may not have at home.

In the studio, the “Khmer Tassou” are working on their texts. The four boys don’t cheat under Boomer’s instructions; they think and write conscientiously with Boomer behind them.

Poeun Sophon Pheap, 16, alias “DJ Shadow”, another singer at working in Boomer’s studio.

See a mutlimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/2009/09/12/boomer-a-returnee-rapping-destiny/

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Survivor's Voices, Virginia, Day 1

See a mutlimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/survivors-voices/

On May 30 and 31, 2009, with the support of “Cambodian Americans for Human Rights” (CARHAD) and Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University, Leakhena Nou (a Professor of Sociology at California State University-Long Beach and the founder of ASRIC, the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) has organized a workshop for the Cambodian American community of the Washington DC area.

Pictured left: Leakhena Nou, founder of ASRIC (the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) and organizer of the workshop...

The goal of the “Cambodian Diaspora Victims’ Participation Project” is to educate the Cambodian Americans on the process of the ECCC-Khmer Rouge trial in Phnom Penh that has already started judging one of five KR responsibles held in custody. Eventually, the people who attend Nou’s workshops are proposed to participate in the trial by filing a complaint that could be presented to the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial) within the next few months.
Nou’s numbers about the Cambodians from the diaspora who have filed claims are impressive: according to her just 17 Cambodians from France and Belgium have filed a complaint to be addressed to the ECCC. On her side here in the US, with her modest organization that has no real funding she has brought so far 22 Cambodians from Southern California to file a complaint. Northern California is still in process. In the fall 2009, Nou plans to organize a similar workshop in Lowell, Massachussets. If she could reach one hundred complaints by the end of the year, Nou would probably be more than satisfied…
On the first day of the workshop (noon to 5PM), Leakhena Nou explains the details of the ECCC, reviewing its historical background, how it currently works, using video materials that were originally produced for the Cambodians from Cambodia… Most important is her speech about the psychological consequences of the KR regime on those who have lived through it, as well as on their children even if they were born after the regime.

It seems everybody knows about it, but few people among the Cambodian American community really dare putting the focus on it and tell the truth that – if some have healed and made peace with what they have experienced in the past – an important proportion of people in this community are still really sick of what has happened 30 years ago: lack of confidence, sleep problems, suicidal tendencies, mental pain, permanent angriness, difficulty to trust, silent suffering, you name it... Nou’s background in medical sociology and field work observations in Cambodia corroborate the obvious similarity of symptoms between the Cambodians from home with the Cambodians from outside…

Pictured left: Tung Yap, President of “Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy” (CAHRAD)

Julie M. Sheker (pictured aboved left), a volunteer lawyer for ASRIC (“Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia”) taking notes during the presentation of Leakhena Nou.

Sarann Lim (pictured above), 81, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, getting familiar with the administrative documents of the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial)...

See a mutlimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/survivors-voices/

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Survivors' Voices, Virginia, Day 2

See a mutlimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/survivors-voices/

The second day of Nou’s workshop (noon to 5PM) is dedicated to the filing of the complaints. Nou’s call for volunteers to help her review the applicants’ testimony (and “interview” them to get the most detailed and accurate story) was heard. In addition to the members of CARHAD organization that have helped set up the weekend, 3 people are there to help Nou on the interviews on that day: two lawyers, Audrey Redmond (pictured below left), Julie Sheker, and a member from the community: Thilda Outhuok (pictured above left).

Pictured above: Leakhena Nou, founder of ASRIC (the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) and organizer of the workshop.

At the end of the afternoon on this second day, Nou could add 12 more stories, testimonies and complaints to be addressed later to the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial). A drop of water in the ocean of pain and sufferings that still overwhelms so many Cambodian. But Nou’s doing what she’s convinced she has to do, step by step, on the West Coast, on the East Coast, and she has not stopped yet…

Vannary Tan (pictured above), 45 - a mother of two and a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime - is filing a complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial). Behind her stands Pearak Tan, 10, one of her sons.

Julie M. Sheker (pictured above right), a volunteer lawyer for ASRIC, helping Cambodian natives for the filing of their complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial).

Leakhena Nou (pictured above left) supports Cambodian native Marie M. Chea (right), 56 - a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime - to file filing her complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial).

See a multimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/survivors-voices/

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The Graduate, College Park, Maryland

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/the-graduate/
Jamie Lok was born in the United States in 1984. Friday May 22, 2009 is one day Jamie will remember in her life, as this is the day of the ceremony and celebration of her graduation with an MPH, a Master degree in Public Health…
I joined Jamie and her family in Silver Spring, Maryland. Both Jamie’s parents are Cambodian natives . Her mother - Horn Lok (pictured below left) - arrived in the US in 1980 with Jamie’s grandmother and other siblings… Jamie’s father - Kimline Lok (pictured above) - has lived in the United States much longer as he arrived there as a student in 1972. He is today retired.

Together in the family car, with Jamie’s grandmother - Hauv You Orn - and her aunt - Suthy Ngan (pictured above center) - we drove to College Park, University of Maryland, more precisely to the graduation ceremony of the School of Public Health. Nearly 30 years after her mother had to flee her country devastated by the KR regime, and after 7 years of hard studies, Jamie is graduating with a Master of Public Health.

After graduation, Jamie will continue her research in substance abuse/addiction and working with minority communities. She plans to pursue a doctorate in public health in the near future.

See a multimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/2009/06/05/the-graduate/

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..