Non-binary II

Video, Drawings and Polymer Clay

Dara Kong's practice focuses on representing marginalized voices, particularly within LGBT+ communities, and creates a platform for social change through his art and curatorial projects. He draws on personal experiences and memories to ask important questions about belonging and how it is affected by our movements within different communities.

Through his introspection, he encourages a broader debate about identity, acceptance, and the complex interactions between personal experiences and social constructs. His work opens up questions of empathy, understanding, and dialogue and seeks to challenge existing norms.

The idea of creating cartographic records of human movement through interlocking vines is particularly intriguing. It symbolizes the interconnectedness of people and their paths, with the beginning and end of the map left open-ended. This concept encourages viewers to reflect on their experiences, memories, and worldviews as they engage with the artwork.

Artist

Kong Dara

Cambodia

Kong Dara (b. 1990, Prey Veng province) studied art at Sa Sa Art Projects. He worked as a curator at the Villa Gallery and Programmes & Partnerships Manager at COCOON. He was also previously a Residency Coordinator at Sa Sa Art Projects from 2017 until May 2023. Dara works across media including drawing, sculpture, and installation, often using pen and colored pencil on paper and clay. His artwork investigates his personal experience, memory, and emotions, and often reflects on social change and LGBT+ communities. His work has appeared in many group exhibitions at Cambodian and international venues including Ku Bar, Bangkok; Nhà Sàn Collective, Hanoi; SA SA BASSAC, Phnom Penh; Sangker Art Space & Gallery, Battambang; Carol Shen Gallery, New York; and Sa Sa Art Projects, Phnom Penh. He has undertaken several residencies in Cambodia and internationally, including at Open Contemporary Art Center, Taipei; San Art Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City; Tentacles Art Space, Bangkok; Sangker Art Space & Gallery, Battambang; and Sa Sa Art Projects, Phnom Penh. Dara was a recipient of the Alternative Art School Fellowship (2021).