Cambodia Then and Now is a new exhibition of visual arts celebrating 70 tumultuous years of Cambodian independence, and exploring the role of the arts in healing generational trauma, building national identity, and bringing communities together. The exhibition features multiple mediums including photography, illustration, graphic design and more to reflect on Cambodia’s eventful and troubled past, and its dynamic but contested future.

From a “Golden Era” in the ‘50s and ‘60s to the rapid dismantling of democracy in recent years, the Cambodian experience of the modern era has been one of resilience, creativity, and contestation in defining the country’s identity and its place in the wider world. Through period exhibits and new works never before displayed in the UK, the exhibition features both Cambodian and international artists to tell the story of the “Kingdom of Wonder”, from independence in 1953 to the present day.

The exhibition explores this period through the lens of life and those who lived through it, inviting audiences to reflect on the way history intricately shapes our present, and empowers and encourages us to determine our own future today.