Beyond Clichés: Mural no. 1
at ULS's Rose Apple Square, Siem Reap
tHE COMMUNE building:
Festival
MURAL COMMISSION // march 22, 2024 // C. KEO
Early this year I had the privilege of being commissioned by ULS (Urban Living Solutions), a renowned real estate and lifestyle development company, to create three captivating murals for their groundbreaking new project, a unique complex of co-living and co-working spaces: Rose Apple Square, in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
BRIEFING
For this project it was most important to move beyond the clichés and embrace the true diversity of Cambodian culture. We made a conscious decision to step away from the oversaturated use of Angkor Wats and Apsara imagery.
While these icons are undoubtedly important, Cambodia is a rapidly developing nation, and it’s crucial that we expand our creative palette to reflect this evolution.
This is exactly what I’m aiming for with RYYSA.
CONCEPT
for this particular project the client asked to capture typical Khmer traditions. Keywords like ordinary people, rural, Tonlé Sap and tradition were crucial.
What I’d proposed was to portray a village of little people that could live among us, underneath the plants in our homes, along the streets or wherever there are plants.
The story of all three walls takes place around this village.
Wall dimension: 3.6 x 2.9 m
Behind the artwork
This mural portrays the festivities and the vibrant life along the river in Siem Reap, buzzling with people shopping at the little market stalls.
From the bandeat pratips from the 2nd mural, we’re hopping with this one onto the side of the riverbank, underneath the plants an we’re discovering a little festival happening.
You see a child riding an enlarged bird toy. These toys are usually made of bamboo and can be found in any market. In the back there are tents made of banana leaves, again to continue to refer to the craft side of the Khmer people.
