Where can I see Rubber man?

Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art

Get a print of Rubber man - land displacement protest

Rubber man alludes to the ongoing establishment of vast, foreign-owned rubber plantations, displacing villagers and destroying communities and places of spiritual significance in Ratanakiri Province. Khvay Samnang (Cambodia b.1982) is shown pouring a bucket of white rubber sap over his face and naked body, obscuring his features and masking his identity. Samnang is a founding member of the first Cambodian contemporary artist collective, Stiev Selapak / Art Rebels, who established the first dedicated exhibition spaces for contemporary art in Cambodia. His works carry strong social and political messages which he acts out. Using his own body to interact with his surroundings and connect with places and communities, he exposes social issues that have emerged in Cambodia from practices such as land acquisition and private development.Exhibited in

Questions & Answers

Who is the artist behind "Rubber man"?

"Rubber man" is attributed to Khvay Samnang.

Which artist and which style stand behind "Rubber man"?

Khvay Samnang created "Rubber man" within the Contemporary Art movement.

Who created "Rubber man" and in what year?

The author of "Rubber man" is Khvay Samnang, and the work is dated 2014.

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Artist Biography

A Voice from the Cambodian Landscape

Born in Svay Rieng, Cambodia, Khvay Samnang has emerged as one of the most profound voices in the contemporary Cambodian art scene. His multidisciplinary practice—spanning photography, video, performance, and installation—serves as a visceral medium through which he explores the complex intersections of human identity, environmental degradation, and the encroaching forces of globalization. Educated at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, where he graduated from the Painting Department, Samnang has developed a method of artistic inquiry that is deeply rooted in meticulous research and a physical connection to the lands and communities he documents.

His work often functions as a form of counter-mapping, challenging the official narratives of development and land acquisition. By embedding himself within local communities, such as the Indigenous Chong people in the Areng Valley, Samnang moves beyond mere observation to participate in the lived realities of those facing displacement. His practice is not merely about documenting loss but about creating poignant gestures that act as offerings for new interpretations of history and cultural continuity.

Symbolism and the Body as Canvas

In the works of Khvay Samnang, the human body becomes a site of political and social struggle. He frequently utilizes his own form to enact rituals that mirror the ecological and humanitarian crises facing Cambodia. One of his most hauntingly evocative series, Rubber Man, captures the artist pouring thick, white rubber sap over his naked body. This act serves as a powerful metaphor for how industrial interests can coat, smother, and ultimately overwrite local cultures and traditions. The liquid latex creates a mask that obscures his features, symbolizing the erasure of individual and collective identity in the face of vast, foreign-owned plantations in provinces like Ratanakiri.

Through these performances, Samnang explores several recurring themes:

Environmental Transformation: The way industrial expansion alters the physical and spiritual landscape.
Identity and Erasure: The use of masking and obscuration to represent the loss of indigenous ways of life.
The Politics of Land: Investigating how land acquisition and private development impact low socio-economic areas and ancestral territories.

Legacy and Artistic Contribution

Beyond his individual practice, Samnang has been a pivotal figure in establishing the infrastructure for contemporary art in Cambodia. As a founding member of the Stiev Selapak / Art Rebels collective, he played a crucial role in creating dedicated exhibition spaces such as Sa Sa Art Projects and SA SA BASSAC. These platforms provided essential resources for experimental residencies and creative education, fostering a new generation of artists capable of exploring the continuities and disruptions caused by Cambodia's turbulent history.

His international recognition has brought global attention to the socio-political nuances of Southeast Asian ecology and human rights. Having participated in prestigious platforms such as documenta 14 and various international biennales, Samnang continues to use his art to expose the tensions between natural beauty and extractive reality, ensuring that the voices of the displaced and the stories of the land are heard on a global stage.

Khvay Samnang

1982 - , Cambodia

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Contemporary art; Photography, Video, Performance
Full Name: Khvay Samnang
Nationality: Cambodian
Notable Artworks:
- Rubber Man
- Untitled (2011 series)
Place Of Birth: Svay Rieng, Cambodia
Date Of Birth: 1982

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