Young Cham artist Kaeu Sreypeou has opened her first solo exhibition, titled "Remembering," at SNA Arts Management in Phnom Penh, running from May 21 to August 8. The show features 18 acrylic paintings that depict traditional Cham Muslim ceremonies, such as the Mawlid Festival and the Tolak bala cleansing ritual, which are now practiced by only a few communities in Cambodia. Sreypeou, a 2023 graduate of the Royal University of Fine Arts, draws on her own memories and participation in these rituals to document and preserve Cham cultural identity.
The exhibition matters because it highlights a growing trend among young Cambodian artists who use contemporary art to explore memory, identity, and cultural preservation, especially for minority communities facing social change. By reviving fading Muslim traditions through visual art, Sreypeou's work not only safeguards intangible heritage but also brings Cham culture to broader local and international audiences, reinforcing the role of art in sustaining endangered practices.