SAR Museum of Modern Art
When I first heard there was a museum of modern art in Siem Reap, I was really excited.
It turned out to be, in my opinion, more like the space of a gallery. But then again, what makes a museum? And what makes a collection?
The museum was quite run-down: there were empty rooms, sometimes no lights, and the staff at the entrance explained that they were renovating and had just acquired the neighbouring building.
The artworks were displayed in a somewhat chaotic way, but some of the pieces were really interesting, especially because some of them had survived the genocide.
Painting of Central Market in Phnom Penh
One artwork I was particularly drawn to reminded me of Peter Doig’s work. There was no artist listed for it, perhaps the information was lost during the war, but I was particularly fond of the painting.
It made me think about how terms and concepts like “museum” or “protected forest” can feel quite arbitrary in Cambodia. Perhaps that also challenges the way we define these categories. In any case, this place provides a safe space for these artworks to be preserved, shown, and shared.
The entrance was only $0.50 for Khmer people and $1 for foreigners. I highly recommend coming. It’s incredibly difficult to find art from this specific period of Khmer modernism, the golden age between independence from France and the Khmer Rouge, and I think that alone makes this place worth visiting.
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