KONG Vollak (born in 1983) lives and works in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He graduated from the sculpture department of the Royal University of Fine Arts in 2006. He works for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport as an art teacher, and recently he is also working with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and UNESCO as Pedagogical Coordinator. He works primarily with charcoal, ink, and pencil on paper and creates sculptures from a range of materials. He also produces etching and lithography as well as photography – both digital and through film. His focus is often on urban life and architecture – skyscrapers, wires, and streets – and history and memory. Vollak has participated in workshops and exchanges with artists from France, Poland, Japan, Cambodia, Andorra, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He was an artist-in-residence with the Asain Cultural Center (ACC) in 2013.

Vollak’s selected exhibitions include Cambodia: Looking Back on the Future, The Flinn Gallery, New York City, USA; Invisible Conversations, Java Art Gallery, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2017); Histories of Future, National Museum, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Silhouettes of Tomorrowland, the Asia Foundation, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2016); Jorng Jam I, Bophana Center, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2014); Jorng Jam II, Logan Art Gallery, Queensland, Australia (2015); Phadeth, Bliss on Bliss Art Studio, in Queens, New York City, USA (2013).

Solo Exhibition

  • 2020 Jorng Jam (Memory), Lee Gallery, Paris, France
  • 2017 Invisible Conversations, Java Art Gallery, Phnom Penh
  • 2016 Silhouettes of Tomorrowland, the Community Art Gallery (Asia Foundation), Phnom Penh
  • 2011 Humanbuild, SA SA BASSAC, Phnom Penh
  • 2011 The Building, The Insider Gallery, Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh

Group Exhibitions

  • 2019 10th Photo Phnom Penh, French Institute, Phnom Penh
  • 2019 Kampot: The Changing Landscape, Kampot Art Gallery, Kamport
  • 2017 Cambodia: Looking Back on the Future, Flinn Gallery, CT, USA
  • 2016 Histories of the Future, National Museum, Phnom Penh
  • 2015 Jorng Jam II, Logan Art Gallery, Logan, Australia 
  • 2014 Langkawi Art Biennale, Langkawi Lagoon Resort, Malaysia
  • 2014 Ancestral Portrait, Shalini Ganendra Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2012 Urban Currents, Our City Festival, No Problem Park / UNESCO office, Phnom Penh
  • 2009    Pillar, Java Art Gallery, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 
  • 2009 Exhibition group Cambodia American artist, US Ambassador Residence  
  • 2009 Drawing, group Cambodian young artists, SASA art gallery, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 
  • 2008   I Love PP, Java Art Gallery, Phnom Penh 
  • 2008 Sport Map, Java Art Gallery, Phnom Penh
  • 2008 Art of Survival, Meta-House, Phnom Penh
  • 2008 Transformation II, Long Beach, USA 
  • 2008 Transformation I, Meta-House, Phnom Penh
  • 2007  Angkor Photo Festival, MCdemott Gallery, Siem Reap
  • 2007 Line and lost Line, De La Paix, Hotel Siem Reap  
  • 2007 Spirit House, Khmer Arts Academy, Takhmao,  
  • 2007 14 + 1, Centre Cultural Françoise, Phnom Penh
  • 2007 Market, Meta House, Phnom Penh   
  • 2007 Surfacing, Sala Artspace, Phnom Penh  
  • 2007 Anon, Sala Artspace, Phnom Penh  
  • 2006 Contemporary Cambodian Art Review, Sala Artspace, Phnom Penh  
  • 2005 Sowing Seeds of Peace, Mekong River Basin, National Institute of Education, Phnom Penh 
  • 2005 Similar things between the Khmer and the Thai, Thai Embassy, Phnom Penh 
  • 2004 Life, Student exhibition for the 86th anniversary, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh
  • 2004 Bad flower, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh
  • 2004 National inheritance, Department of Plastic Arts and Handicraft, RUFA, Phnom Penh 
  • 2003 Peace, Installation (glass) with the students from France, RUFA, Phnom Penh

Workshops/Exchanges/Residencies

  • 2016 Mexico art in residency
  • 2015 Francophonie, Le Cóte de vois, Africa” Arts and Sport Festival
  • 2015 Brisbane, Australia
  • 2014 Shalini Gahendra Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2014 Asia Improvisation Art Exchange, Korea
  • 2013 Francophonie Arts and Sport festival
  • 2013 ACC grantee and LMCC residency
  • 2012 Etching and Lithography in RUFA, Phnom Penh
  • 2010 Art Camp, Andorra, Europe  
  • 2008 Theertha International Artists’ Workshop 2008, Kandy, Sri Lanka
  • 2007 Curator Workshop, Phnom Penh, Cambodia    
  • 2007 Curator of Mekong Art & Culture Project, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

Education

  • 2007 Pedagogy, National Institutes of Education, Phnom Penh
  • 2007 Art Appreciation Class, Sala Artspace, Phnom Penh
  • 2006 Sculpture, Royal University of Fine Art, Phnom Penh
  • 2006 Photography with Stephan Janin, Popil Photo Gallery, Phnom Penh

ARTIST