bamboo and rattan sculptures by sopheap pich at the met museum, new york

‘seated buddha’ by sopheap pich
rattan, bamboo, wire, plywood
256 × 220 × 110 cm.
image courtesy tyler rollins fine art

cambodian rattan: the sculptures of sopheap pich
metropolitan museum of art, new york
on now through to the 7th of july, 2013

artist sopheap pich could be considered as one of cambodia’s leading contemporary artists – known for his organic open weave sculptures informed by culture, human anatomy, plant life, and the often tragic history of cambodia. through to the 7th of july, 2013 the metropolitan museum of art in new york will be exhibiting an eclectic selection of the artist’s most important works to date, showcasing pich’s ability to merge a rich past, hopeful future and vibrant culture of a country in constant flux.

to create his pieces pich goes through a very arduous and lengthy process where he will select and harvest the bamboo every six months, and then leave it dry at his studio in phnom penh. he then splits, shaves and boils the material in diesel oil in order to remove water, sugar, and insect eggs and then left again to dry. pebbles and stones are crushed to create a pigment and finally, assembly of the pieces themselves. through these works, pich looks deep into the psyche of  his country, the troubling undercurrents beneath the surface of daily life all referenced in his artwork. time, memory, and the body are all fundamental elements to pich’s work. through his works, pich offers a moment of contemplation, carving a space of reflection and narrative from the heavy issues that underlie cambodian society.

‘buddha 2’, 2009
image courtesy met museum

‘morning glory’, 2011
image courtesy met museum

‘fields of ratanakiri no. 2’, 2012
image courtesy tyler rollins fine art