Cambodian Rattan
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY
Through July 7

Sopheap Pich is a contemporary Cambodian painter and sculptor known particularly for his unique rattan and bamboo sculptures. He uses these two culturally meaningful materials to create organically flowing, three-dimensional, open-weave forms. Most of his works emulate the naturally fluid forms of human anatomy and plant life. For example, “Morning Glory,” a mesh sculpture inspired by the blooming vine that served as an important source of nourishment for the Cambodian population during the 1970s, gently slinks across the floor before gracefully opening into a delicate flower. This exhibition features ten of the Cambodian artist’s most important works, which appear to be weightless, but deliver deep and complex statements about culture, faith, nature, the rich, and the sometimes-tragic history of Cambodia.