New Exhibits

We welcomed the community to an Artist Talk at the Michael Klahr Center on Thursday, June 27th at 5:00 to meet and hear from Khmer artist Chanthu and Mardi Millay. The sisters spoke about the horrifying genocide in Cambodia, and their loved ones, and joined the group to speak about their work in the collections Child of War and Rethinking Place. The artist talk and two exhibits are in collaboration with Khmer Maine, and our friend and former HHRC colleague, Marpheen Chann. They opened on Monday, May 20th in recognition of Cambodia National Day of Remembrance, which commemorates the victims of the genocide in Cambodia that took place between 1975 and 1979. 

Chanthu's paintings and sculpture are arresting. Her use of metal and ceramic sculpture and paintings depict the emotions she experienced as her family’s lone survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Many contain images of war and disruption, while others touch on selfhood, freedom, abstraction. On her website she writes, "Not only can art connect us to our various identities, heritages, and cultures, but it enriches our respect and appreciation for the world around us." 

For her debut photographic exhibition, Mardi Millay traveled to her birth culture and country of Cambodia and neighboring Southeast Asia. She engages with her subjects to reflect and capture a sense of home—be it a physical place, a feeling or chosen community. Using this expanded definition of place, Mardi explores identity through her adoptive family and relationships with an underexposed perspective. Her portraits suggest so many emotions, compelling one to wonder about a child, woman, elder's life and the stories behind their complex expressions. 

Babushkas, by Lesia Sochor

We are honored to display the gorgeous Babushka paintings created by Lesia Sochor in the Michael Khlar Center. The images above are currently on display at the Michael Klahr Center.

Writes Lesia about her paintings:

Love of my ancestral homeland and horror at the merciless, brutal unprovoked invasion of Ukraine compelled me to paint images of Babushkas. This iconic symbol of a culture stirs memories of my mother, who in her later years wore one most every day.

The images plead to have peace and freedom in their beloved country. A beleaguered nation that has endured a traumatic history, but one which, since 1992, has embraced democracy and independence. A nation which was building on the principles of political, social and religious freedoms. A nation who wanted to pursue peace, who gave up its nuclear weapons. A nation wanting to steer its own course with dignity. A nation with a president who cares for his people; for making Ukraine productive, prosperous and progressive. A nation rich in culture and traditions. A nation of joyous hard working people.

I am filled with pride at being Ukrainian. I am thankful to my immigrant refugee parents, who in the Philadelphia diaspora, continued the language and traditions which I have carried on with my own children. I am reliving their stories as I listen and watch the dreadful devastation of an unsuspecting country.

I condemn this war, I condemn the man behind it. The unthinkable is happening and my heart breaks. Slava Ykraina