AsiaLIFE

Building bridges through art, the Centre Culturel Français (CCF) continues the process of opening the world of art to Cambodia and the work of Cambodian artists to the world. Craig Gerard sat down with Alain Arnaudet to learn what’s in store for 2009.

“Our primary mission is to open windows on the world,” explains Alain Arnaudet, the Cultural Attaché and Director of the CCF. Cambodian artists do not have as much opportunity to see the world beyond Cambodia or to be exposed to expressions other international artists are creating, according to Alain. This is the role CCF tries to fill. By helping Cambodian artists meet and collaborate with artists from Europe, Alain hopes to inspire them to create their own work. This is not always an easy task. Not only do the artists need to be inspired, but they also must create something the public will enjoy and connect with. It is clear that Alain enjoys the challenge.

The CCF operates in three main areas – education, a foreign language library and the Arts. Their schools teach free French lessons to over 6,000 Cambodians annually, with classes in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang. The library is home to the largest French language book collection in the country. But it is in their cultural art activities that the centre really thrives. Designed to foster cooperation between France and Cambodia in the world of art, Alain has taking the role of the centre a step further by helping to create art. There are a number of programmes coming in 2009, which Alain has had a personal hand in developing.

A Year of Collaboration

This month, the CCF continues the Cinema Concert series, where a traditional Cambodian orchestra plays music in front of an old silent film. “It’s improbable,” explains Arnaudet, “but it works so well.” January’s viewers are in for a special treat as CCF brings in contemporary French jazz musician Louis Sclavis to do a 15-day residency with a local group. The collaboration is a perfect example of the East meets West marriage the culture centre arranges.

In February, the CCF will host a huge exhibition of wedding photographs from around the world. The collection includes hundreds of weddings from different time periods and from Cambodia, France, China, and Lebanon, among others.  At the end of February and beginning of March, the CCF will stage an exhibit of video art – an entirely new art form in Cambodia, according to Alain. Two pairs of artists will merge their different art forms to create the videos. The first collaboration is between a Columbian videographer and a Khmer painter, the second pairs a French videographer with a Cambodian dancer. “This is the progression of art we are trying to build,” says Alain. Not only are the Cambodian artists exposed to international art, the teams will create something never seen before in Cambodia, an idea which thrills Alain.

In May, the CCF will pair up with the Meta House to put on a week-long hip hop festival, complete with concerts and dance shows featuring French, German and Cambodian hip hop artists. They will bring in the German artist Storm, who, according to Alain, is “one of the most important hip hop dancers in the world.”
Performance art fans can also look forward to the Lakhaon Festival in the autumn, which will again feature live stage dramas and plays. The focus is to blend traditional forms of Cambodian theatre with contemporary influences. This year, the CCF is putting more energy and time into the French and English translations, so larger audiences can enjoy the Khmer language performances.

Taking Cinema to the Provinces

Alain also looks forward to continuing La Route du Cinema, the national tour of films around Cambodia. By bringing the art out of Phnom Penh and to the provinces, the CCF can reach an entirely different audience. The outdoor screenings take place in 15 different towns all over the country, and typically draw crowds of around 1,000 people. “It is an amazing success,” Alain explains. With over a hundred screenings a year during the dry season, the centre is bringing new cinema and documentaries to over 100,000 people outside of Phnom Penh. With games for the kids, vendors selling ice cream and families relaxing on the lawn, each screening is like a festival. “Everyone comes to the centre of town to enjoy the shows,” says Alain. Each screening is a reminder of what the CCF does here in Cambodia.

As the Centre Culturel Français continues to grow in influence and push the envelope of Cambodian art, Cambodian artists are not the only benefactors from their success. The CCF has strong influence over the emerging art scene in Cambodia. Edgy, sophisticated, unique and looking to build bridges from Cambodia outward, art fans in Phnom Penh can rejoice in 2009.

Further information on this year’s events can be found at www.ccf-cambodge.org or read AsiaLIFE guide’s Kaleidoscope each month.