Education Resources for Teachers and Students
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ទេយ្យទាន | TEYYATEAN
Than Sok: Giving alms
THE EXHIBITION
ទេយ្យទាន | Teyyatean Than Sok: Giving alms spans two decades of work by Cambodian artist Than Sok, regionally renowned for his richly conceptual and experimental contemporary practice. Giving alms or ‘Teyyatean’ has remained a central theme for the artist as he explores the ever-evolving interplay between religious practice and the contemporary world. ទេយ្យទាន | Teyyatean Than Sok: Giving alms presents a selected series of works which discuss the notion of alms giving to both monks and spirits, and the ways in which religious offerings, sacrifice and rituals are the foundation of Khmer society. The exhibition speaks to the rich religious landscape of Cambodia’s past and present, as Than discusses the changing nature of ritual and the relevance of religious expectations. Inspired by childhood memories, an upbringing in a post-genocide society and influenced by formative experience as a young monk, the works present the artist’s curiosities with the impact of political, economic, and social contexts placed on Cambodia’s religious identity. The exhibition demonstrates Than Sok’s prestigious career and summarises his importance in the documentation of contemporary Cambodian visual arts. The exhibition offers an international audience a new appreciation on the central role of religion in Cambodia, acknowledging the art is a powerful tool to connect with a country’s history and customs.
Srie Bun I 2015, cotton and chemical dye, [installation of five garments], 89 x 231 cm each.
Than Sok in his studio, 2024 (photo by Prum Ero)
THE ARTIST
THAN SOK (he/ him)
b 1984, Takeo, CambodiaThan Sok is a prolific artist and is well established as one of Cambodia’s most well respected contemporary artists. His practice investigates religious and spiritual beliefs, materials and rituals through sculpture, installation, video, drawing and painting. Than’s reflective and often critical practice bridges contemporary Cambodian art with the country’s rich and complex relationship with Buddhism. As a post-war artist in the early to mid 2000’s, Than studied at the Art School of Reyum Institute of Art and Culture in Phnom Penh. Here he learnt a range of practices in two-dimensional media, favouring painting. After graduating in 2007, Than continued his studies in Architecture at the city’s Norton University; however, he returned to fine arts during his architectural education, believing that through the arts true expression and storytelling can take place. Over the past 15 years he has been awarded a number of international residencies including at San Art, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2014), Sa Sa Art Projects, White Building, Phnom Penh (2014), Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York, United States (2013), S-AIR, Sapporo, Japan (2011) and Tokyo Wonder Site, Aoyama, Japan (2005). His works have been purchased for many private collections and by the Singapore Art Museum and MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Thailand and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA).
CURRICULUM AND SYLLABUS LINKS
Teachers are encouraged to adapt this education resource for their curriculum, in and outside NSW. This education kit makes the following connections to:
Visual Arts NSW Stage 5 and 6 Syllabus:
Art Criticism/Art History Focus area:
Practice: Multi-disciplinary practices/Installation and performance art/Identity as key themes.
Conceptual Framework: Dialogues in art as a response to Time and Place/customs, beliefs and religions.
The Frames: Cultural and Subjective investigations.
Art Criticism and Art History Outcomes:
Stage 5 Course: 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10
Stage 6 Year 11: P7, P8, P9
Stage 6 HSC Year 12: H7, H8, H9
International Baccalaureate Diploma Syllabus:
Theoretical Practice
Visual Arts in Context: Students examine artists working in different cultural contexts and seek to understand the limitations and possibilities to discuss historical events through artmaking.
Visual Arts in Methods: Students look at different techniques for making art. Students investigate and compare how and why different techniques have evolved, and the processes involved.
Curatorial Practice
Visual Arts in Context: Students develop an informed response to work and exhibitions they have seen and experienced.
Visual Arts in Methods: Students consider the nature of “exhibition” and think about the process of selection and the potential impact of work on different audiences.
Offering 3 2023, fire-stain, acrylic, incense ash, 140 x 110 cm
Vocabulary
Animism: the belief in the supernatural power that organises and animates the material universe.
Appropriation: to take something for one’s own use. In art this refers to the sampling of an image and redefining its established meaning through its involvement in new work.
Buddhism: a widespread Asian religion or philosophy, founded by Siddartha Gautama “Buddha” in northeastern India in the 5th century BC.
Contemporary: belonging or occurring to the present.
Iconography: a particular range or system of types of images used by an individual, artists or groups to convey particular meanings.
Recontextualization: is a process that extracts text, signs, or materials from its original context and reuses it in another context.
Tradition: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.
Vuth Lyno and Than Sok, House Spirit (6) 2020, watercolour on paper, 37 x 27 cm.
FOR TEACHERS
ទេយ្យទាន | Teyyatean Than Sok: giving alms invites the integration of Cambodia contemporary arts and their discourse into existing curricula and case study investigations. The exhibition provides an insight into the practice of a leading Cambodian artist, opening dialogue for Australian students to engage with international practices that sit outside the students own worldviews and cultures. The solo exhibition builds a comprehensive study on one artist's experience across a 20 year career and invites students to explore identity, religion and belief as a source of inspiration and creative inquiry. The artist, as a representative of his country, profoundly speaks to religious, social, political and economical experiences that shape the values and daily customs of contemporary Cambodia. The exhibition can be seen as a provocation to a student’s inquiry into their own identity and culture, using Than Sok’s observational practice as a model for their own self-reflection and investigation.
Consider examining and teaching this exhibition as an in-depth study within a broader investigation of Art & Religion, Art & Beliefs, Art & Culture/Identity, The Artist’s Voice or Art as Archives and Documentation.
CASE STUDIES
This case study can be done in full, or sections can be used to support a previous case study or investigation.
The intention of this case study is to introduce students to an artist that explores Buddhism in contemporary practices. This can provide a wider knowledge on the interplay between religion and art throughout history. ទេយ្យទាន | Teyyatean Than Sok: Giving alms is a comprehensive showing of 20 years of Than Sok’s works and enables students access to series of works that discuss Than’s key themes of religion and beliefs through a variety of materials and perspectives.
Begin with an initial class discussion on the presence of religious iconography and narratives in art throughout history. Discuss the ways we (society) learn about religion. List the texts, stories and artworks you already know that reference religion. Pose the question: Should art communicate ideas about religion and belief? Encourage a debate about the impacts artist voice can have on the interpretation and distribution of religion.
ចូលទន្លេតាមបត់ ចូលស្រុកតាមប្រទេស។
“Negotiate a river by following its bends, enter a country by following its customs.”
– Khmer proverb
Analyse the meaning of the Khmer proverb. What does the expression mean? Engage in a discussion about customs, beliefs and then broader concepts such as travel, migration, multiculturalism. How is this proverb significant to an Australian context and furthermore can students think of any personal experiences where cultural barriers and religious beliefs have impacted their capacity to connect or understand another’s perspective?
Next, give context to students using this small exert from the exhibition curatorial essay that summerises Buddhism in Southeast Asia, specifically Cambodia:
Across mainland southeast Asia - Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand – Buddhism remains the largest religious practice, dating back to the early first and second centuries. Introduced through trade and occupation by China, Sri Lanka and India, the expansion of Buddhism in southeast Asia was rapid and provided a unification of principles that could co-exist with pre-standing spiritual beliefs. The acceptance of Buddhism from new lands can possibly be attributed to its non-theistic faith, with no god or deity to worship, allowing prior existing spirits and beings of worship to exist simultaneously to the moral code of the Buddhist philosophy. Ultimately, the adaptability of the Buddhist philosophy resulted in the evolution of denominations, driven by the social, cultural and economic composition of each Southeast Asian country, with a common thread of practicing principles and religious symbols. In contemporary context, Buddhism is referred to as both a philosophy and religion. In its original form Buddhism is non-theistic, meaning without a deity it is not a religion. However, for centuries many denominations have recontextualised the iconography of founder Siddhartha Guatama ‘Buddha’ and taken on acts of ritual and prayer that place Buddha as a figure of worship, arguably making it a religion. Today, Cambodia is a syncretism of animistic beliefs, Brahman Hindi practices and Theravada Buddhism as its central religion. Buddhism is ‘practiced’ with the elements of animism and Hinduism inherently absorbed through generational modelling and remain part of everyday ritual and almsgiving.
With this context, begin to explore Than Sok’s practice by completing the focus activities. Through the focus activities students will unpack Than’s practice through the Conceptual Framework and Frames. The focus activities can be completed as a class or individually and should take 2-4 lessons. After students have completed the focus activities come back together to discuss Than’s practice.
In pairs, students will work towards a comparative artist study with two contemporary artists who also explore Buddhism in their practices. Each student will research and compile a presentation on one of the below artists. The presentation should include the artist’s context, material and conceptual practice with a focus on 3 of their artworks. Then, to develop a practice of peer teaching and collaboration, they will present their artist to each other. Encourage the students to engage in deeper conversations where they richly compare the artist practices and how the artists incorporate Buddhism beliefs and mythologies in their artworks
Australian-Thai artist Phaptawan Suwannakudt
Australian-Chinese artist Lindy Lee
Thai artist Montien Boonma
Japanese Mariko Mori
Now, focus in on the overarching theme of the exhibition ‘Teyyetean’ or alms giving. Examine Than’s artworks and discuss how the artist has used appropriation and recontexualisation of religious iconography to communicate ideas on this theme.
To conclude the case study students can complete an essay on the following question.
Analyse how artworks represent cultural histories.
In your answer refer to Than Sok and one other artist from your studies.
Students might also look comparatively at artists such as Feng Zikai, Mariko Mori, Munakata Shikō, Vuth Lyno, Sopheap Pich, Amy Lee Sanford, Tenzing Rogdol, Gonkar Gyatso, Nam June Paik, Yoko Ono, Shao Yi, Chen Lizhu and Liao Fei. .
Negligence Leads to Loss Attention Preserves 2009, digital still from single channel video, 9'42.
EXHIBITION QUESTIONS
The questions provided in this resource may be used for written responses, examination preparation, or for open-ended discussions in the gallery or the classroom.
Pre-visit Questions for Years 9 – 12
What do you know about Buddhism?
The title of the exhibition is in English and Khmer (Cambodia). Why do you think the curator has chosen to do this?
What are the intentions behind artists using religious iconography and symbolism?
Debate: Can visual arts be a truthful documentation of religion?
Questions for Written Responses Years 11 – 12
Frames:
Analyse how meaning is communicated through the use of signs and symbols.
In your answer refer to Than Sok and 1 artist from your other studies.
Conceptual Framework:
Examine how artists reflect or challenge the cultural beliefs of their time.
In your answer refer to Than Sok and 2 artists from your other studies.
Practice:
Art is not only made with your hands.
With reference to this statement, discuss the significance of conceptual practice to artmaking.
In your answer refer to Than Sok and 1 artist from your other studies.
FOCUS ACTIVITIES
Here you will find ទេយ្យទាន | Teyyatean Than Sok: giving alms questions and activities for classroom discussions. These activities can be done individually or in connection with the suggested case study. In these focus questions Than Sok’s work is placed in the wider art history and discussed with reference to artists that create artworks with religion and belief themes, but not necessarily Buddhism.
About contemporary art
in southeast Asia
Eluding simple definitions or falsely universalising connections between distinct histories and cultures, the art of southeast Asia is vibrant, dynamic and complex, bearing traces of “the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires, and … the historical traces of colonisation and the often-traumatic birth of nations.”1 Artists from Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia explore local and global themes including personal and national identity and community, cultural knowledge, power, faith and the increasingly urgent impact of humans on fragile ecosystems.
Find out more
https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/lifestyle/southeast-asia-art-indigenous-communities/
https://content.acca.melbourne/uploads/2018/02/Artist-Collectives-and-Communities-of-Practice-2.pdf
https://nga.gov.au/stories-ideas/collecting-the-artistic-voices-of-indonesia/
https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/good-work-building-a-stronger-arts-ecosystem-2624953/
Kadek Dwi Darmawan, Hybrid Creatures III 2022, linocut print on paper, 29.7 x 21 cm
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