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Kim Hak "Alive IV"
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Kim Hak
Rei Foundation Limited is proud to present ‘Alive IV,’ an exhibition in Tokyo and Yokohama featuring new work from Cambodian artist Kim Hak. ‘Alive IV’ presents approximately 40 photographs and accompanying texts that center on the personal belongings of people who fled Cambodia during and after the civil unrest of the 1970s.
Many Cambodians were forced to flee their country to escape oppression, massacre, and war under the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. They left their homes with few possessions: only the most valuable or practical items were brought along this difficult journey. Kim Hak, born in 1981, became interested in this period of history and the personal memories of what happened to his parent's generation, and in 2014 he started the project “Alive” by visiting survivors of the Khmer Rouge era and documenting their belongings and their stories. Beginning by interviewing his parents, “Alive” has since developed into chapters in Brisbane, Australia, in 2015 and in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2018, creating opportunities for dialogue between individuals and generations about the experiences of survivors in these communities.
In 2020, Kim Hak traveled to Japan on a fellowship from the Japan Foundation Asia Centre with the goal of meeting and creating work with Cambodian communities, mainly in Kanagawa Prefecture. ‘Alive IV,’ the fourth chapter in the series, is structured around the stories of 13 Cambodian families, which include both former international students unable to return to their country due to the turmoil in Cambodia in the 1970s and those who came to Japan as refugees in the 1980s.
Their possessions, such as watches, family photos, and earrings, operate as vessels for memories from their homeland, their journey to escape, and their new country. Kim Hak visited with each family, taking time to listen to each person and then documenting their objects and stories in photographs and text. The resulting photographs of each item emerge with dignity against a black background, shedding light on personal stories buried in the past, quietly and powerfully reflecting the resilience of those who have lived through this painful history. In this way, the exhibition aims to convey the importance of sharing memories of the past and connecting them to the future.
The exhibition is supported by New Zealand-based Rei Foundation Limited. We hope it will provide an opportunity for people of Cambodian descent in Japan to engage in dialogue about their histories across generations and for people of diverse backgrounds to better understand and accept each other across physical and cultural boundaries.
[Related Events]
Kim Hak ‘Alive IV’
Date: September 9 (Fri)- September 25 (Sun) ＜Open every day throughout the exhibition period＞
Hours: 11:00-18:00
Fee: Free
Venue: Elevated Studio Site-A Gallery (1-6 Koganecho, Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture)
Many Cambodians were forced to flee their country to escape oppression, massacre, and war under the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. They left their homes with few possessions: only the most valuable or practical items were brought along this difficult journey. Kim Hak, born in 1981, became interested in this period of history and the personal memories of what happened to his parent's generation, and in 2014 he started the project “Alive” by visiting survivors of the Khmer Rouge era and documenting their belongings and their stories. Beginning by interviewing his parents, “Alive” has since developed into chapters in Brisbane, Australia, in 2015 and in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2018, creating opportunities for dialogue between individuals and generations about the experiences of survivors in these communities.
In 2020, Kim Hak traveled to Japan on a fellowship from the Japan Foundation Asia Centre with the goal of meeting and creating work with Cambodian communities, mainly in Kanagawa Prefecture. ‘Alive IV,’ the fourth chapter in the series, is structured around the stories of 13 Cambodian families, which include both former international students unable to return to their country due to the turmoil in Cambodia in the 1970s and those who came to Japan as refugees in the 1980s.
Their possessions, such as watches, family photos, and earrings, operate as vessels for memories from their homeland, their journey to escape, and their new country. Kim Hak visited with each family, taking time to listen to each person and then documenting their objects and stories in photographs and text. The resulting photographs of each item emerge with dignity against a black background, shedding light on personal stories buried in the past, quietly and powerfully reflecting the resilience of those who have lived through this painful history. In this way, the exhibition aims to convey the importance of sharing memories of the past and connecting them to the future.
The exhibition is supported by New Zealand-based Rei Foundation Limited. We hope it will provide an opportunity for people of Cambodian descent in Japan to engage in dialogue about their histories across generations and for people of diverse backgrounds to better understand and accept each other across physical and cultural boundaries.
[Related Events]
Kim Hak ‘Alive IV’
Date: September 9 (Fri)- September 25 (Sun) ＜Open every day throughout the exhibition period＞
Hours: 11:00-18:00
Fee: Free
Venue: Elevated Studio Site-A Gallery (1-6 Koganecho, Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture)
Schedule | Aug 19 (Fri) 2022-Aug 28 (Sun) 2022 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://www.spiral.co.jp/en/topics/spiral-garden/kim-hak_alive_iv | ||||
| Venue | Spiral https://www.spiral.co.jp/ | ||||
| Location | 5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 | ||||
| Access | 1 minute walk from exit B1 or B3 at Omotesando Station on the Ginza, Hanzomon and Chiyoda lines. 15 minute walk from exit B3 at JR Shibuya Station. | ||||
| Phone | 03-3498-1171 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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