Kong Siden is gearing up to host his first solo exhibition, which has been five years in the making and throws the spotlight on how Cambodia’s changing urban landscape impacts nature and humans.

The Design and Digital Coordinator at Sa Sa Art Projects wants his work to highlight the relationship between nature and human-built structures. He noted that the construction of a building has both positive and negative impacts on humans and nature.

Siden’s art works in the exhibition includes a lightbox, video projections, and video installations.

Siden’s art works in the exhibition include a lightbox, video projections, and video installations. While it took him only six months to complete the project, it took him five years to take the hundreds of photos and videos used in the digital artwork.

Inside the exhibition hall, ‘Moments in Light’, a lightbox artwork, shows the circular and reverse relationships between nature and man-made buildings.

dynamic_detail_1

Layers of mini pictures in Moments in Light, a lightbox artwork, shows a circular and upside-down relationship between nature and man-made buildings. Kiripost/Rov Hongseng

The silhouette of a tree features in the middle of the lightbox. On its upper side, there are layers of mini pictures of pre-modern buildings while the lower side consists of layers of pictures of post-modern buildings.

Siden said construction of skyscrapers contributes to the nation’s progress. However, development has negative effects on nature because trees are cut down and lakes are filled up to pave the way for construction.

Additionally, he said construction contributes to the rising global temperature; therefore, affecting people who cannot afford to own modern buildings.

Therefore, Siden believes it is important to adopt sustainable architecture by constructing green buildings. “In this way, we can connect nature with human-made buildings,” he said.

dynamic_detail_2

Siden uses technology to create digital art because it is convenient for him to put his vision in the artworks. He also has experience working in photography, video, installation, light, and sound.

He said, “I want visitors to take time to look at the texture, colors, and layers of the mini pictures in the lightbox to understand the meaning behind the artwork.”

Another important piece of work is ‘Phantasm’. It consists of a pile of sand covered with shattered pieces of glass and features a loop video projected from the ceiling.

The physical materials used in Phantasm, Siden's digital artwork, consists of a pile of sand covered with shattered pieces of glass and a video projection from the ceiling. Kiripost/Rov Hongseng

Siden said he used sand as it is a material commonly used in construction, adding that when a mirror breaks it is believed to be a sign of bad luck. He included the glass to highlight the negative impacts of construction.

Phantasm, Siden's digital artwork, produces scattered light shapes across the walls and the room’s ceiling. Kiripost/Rov Hongseng

When light fragments from the video projection hit the shattered pieces of glass, they produce light shapes across the walls and ceiling.

This represents the impact construction has on everyone, he said. Siden went on to explain that while residents are able to live comfortably in modern buildings, others who cannot afford to live in them are suffering from rising temperatures.

The exhibition is open until November 30 at Sa Sa Art Projects, Street 350, Phnom Penh.