TOR Vutha, (born in 1975 in the Site-Two refugee camp) lives and works in Battambang province. He remains haunted by both of his childhood and young-adult experiences as a Khmer Rouge survivor and as a former refugee from Site-two refugee camp on the Cambodia-Thai border, where his family and he were in residency there between 1979 and 1992. He attended drawing classes there as a form of art therapy.
Vutha fought boredom by learning to paint. From there, he became involved in artistic productions and staged circus scenography shows in France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Algeria, and Reunion Island. From 2012 to 2013, he continued to study Art at Pivaut Superior Applied Arts School in France. As a Multimedia Freelance Artist, he made mural paintings for the churches and pagodas in Thailand. He has residency art programs in Bordeaux, Reunion Island, Thailand, and recently in Vermont Studio Center. Tor Vutha is now a co-founder, Deputy Director of Pedagogy at the Visual and Applied Art School of Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPSA) in Battambang. After trying different paths, he decided to participate fully in teaching at PPSA to share his experiences.
His works have been displayed at French Embassy (2018) and French Cultural Institute in Cambodia (2017), in Bangkok and Krabi (Thailand) (2012), France (2010), Colombia, and the UN Headquarters in New York (2010).
Solo Exhibition
- 2011 Mother’s Love, French Cultural Center, Phnom Penh, Intercontinantal Hotel (Phnom Phen)
- 2010 Khmer Empire, la Sall de manifestation de la port, Reunion Island, France.
- 2010 Science and Daily life, Fine Art Superior le Port, Reunion Island, France
- 2008 -10 Coffee Past and Present, Phare Ponleu Selpak, Battambang
- 2008 Red Gallery, Siem Reap
- 2008 Khmer Empire, LaResidence Angkor, Siem Reap
- 2007 Khmer Empire, Art House Gallery, Siem Reap
- 2007 Red gallery, Siem Reap
- 2007 La residence Angkor, Siem Reap
- 2007 French Cultural Center (CCF), Siem Reap
- 2007 Aliance Café, Siem Reap
- 2007 Red Gallery, Siem Reap
- 2007 Comme a la Maison Café, Siem Reap
- 2006 Cambodia life, Bordeaux Hall Enter/ Dordogne (France)
Group Exhibitions
- 2021 Self of Faceless Nations, Penh Art Fair, Factory Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh
- 2019 Self of Faceless Nations, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan City, Korea
- 2019 Prisoner, Phare Ponleu Selpak, French Institute, Phnom Penh
- 2018 Yesterday one more, French Embassy, Phnom Penh
- 2018 Dong Reak, Sengker Gallery, Battambang
- 2017 Thankful to Thai king, Bangkok and Krabi, Thailand
- 2013 Mother’s Love, Toulous, France
- 2012 Khmer Empire, Romet Gallery, Phnom Penh
- 2010 Impact (Landmine in Cambodia), Bophana Center, Phnom Penh
- 2010 Cartagna Country/Colombia
- 2010 Country United Nations, Headquarter in New York (Asia, SouthAmerica continents)
- 2009 Remember Art Survival Cambodia, Battambang, Pailin, Takeo, Kampong Chnang, Prey Veng province
- 2008 Remember, Meta house, Phnom Penh
- 2002 AIDs UNDP office , Phnom Penh
- 1999 Shadow and light Exhibition and _lm projection with maison de Citapens, Nante France
- 1997 Shadow and light Exhibition with Haut Commisarait for refugees of United Nation Genevre(Swiss) / Art museum of Trational and Populars (Paris)/La Maairie de Feney Voltaire with Armnesty International
- 1989 Travelling Site 2 camp Border Cambodia/Thailand This exhibition Organized by Ve’ronique Decroup of Phare France, Association from 1988 -1989(Drawing and _lm, shadow and light)
Performances
- 2016 Evening snacks: near the statue of the King Father, Java Café & Gallery, Phnom Penh
- 2014 Site II, Romeet Gallery, Phnom Penh
- 2013 Digestion, Java Café & Gallery, Phnom Penh
- 2009 The Hawker’s Song, co-produced by Java Arts, Phnom Penh
- 2006 Cambodian history, especially after the Khmer Rouge, Sovanna Phum, Phnom Penh
Residencies
- 2018 Vermont Studio Center, USA
- 2018 La fenête sur la rue Bordeaux/, France
- 2018 Le port University Reunion Island, France
- 2018 KRABI Thailand
Education
- 2012-13 Study Art in Pivaut Superior Applied School in France
- 1980s Study painting and drawing at Site-two refugee camp
- Cambodian Artists, Art Groups Are Facing Their Own Virus Crisis , VOA Khmer By Hean Socheata and Khan Sokummono, July 8, 2020
- S’art city festival , Phare, June 1, 2020
- GIANT PUPPETS GO BEYOND SR, Khmer Times By Peter Olszewski, May 31, 2019
- Grass Roots: The Overlooking of Phare Ponleu Selpak in Cambodia, Art Republik By Yean Reaksmey, May 15, 2018
- Quinzaine Française de Phnom Penh : Rencontrez Tor Vutha, Combogdmag, March 19, 2018
- Explore Battambang – Visual Art School Founder, Phare By Phare Circus, September 19, 2014
- Phare Ponleu Selpak: Light of the arts Cambodia (mostly about Phare), The Culture 360 By Magali An Berthon, July 8, 2014
- A mother’s colourful love, The Phnom Penh Post By Roth Meas, May 3, 2012
- Artist’s tribute to faraway mothers , The Phnom Penh Post By Roth Meas, April 6, 2011
- Cambodian Artists in Conversation, Asia society.org Exhibit Tackles The Mekong River’s Environmental Woes, The Phnom Penh Post, June 12, 2012
ARTIST
- Email: vutha_art@yahoo.com
- Tel: +855 93 232 448