Draft:Karona
KARONA | |
|---|---|
 Hoeuy Karona in 2023 | |
| Born | May 26, 2003 |
| Other names | Hoeuy Karona |
| Education | Phare Ponleu Selpak (Visual Arts Applied School) |
| Known for | Painting, sculpture, environmental art |
| Movement | Contemporary Cambodian art |
| Awards | Ekarieach Multi Art Award (2025) |
| Website | www |
KARONA (ហឿយ ករុណា; born 26 May 2003), also known as HOEUY Karona, is a Cambodian visual artist based in Siem Reap, known for his multidisciplinary work exploring environmental themes, Khmer culture, and the interplay between nature and human impact. His practice includes painting, sculpture, and mixed-media installations, often using recycled materials to address issues like plastic pollution in marine ecosystems.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Karona was born on 26 May 2003 in the rural outskirts of Siem Reap, near the ancient temples of Angkor.[1] Growing up in a countryside environment, he developed a deep fascination with nature, observing elements such as dry leaves, fish, frogs, waterlilies, and lotuses, which later became central motifs in his art.[3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, as a teenager, he began teaching himself to draw and paint, inspired by the natural surroundings and Khmer folklore.[1]
In 2021, Karona enrolled at the Phare Ponleu Selpak's Visual Arts Applied School (VAAS) in Battambang, where he studied under mentor Thor Vutha.[1] He graduated as valedictorian in 2024, with a capstone project titled Up Side Down, an immersive installation examining the impact of plastic pollution on sea turtles.
Career
[edit]Karona held his first solo exhibition, en Solo, at La Java Bleue in Kampot in 2021, showcasing 23 canvases inspired by rural Cambodian life, including rice fields and pepper plantations. The show drew comparisons to Vincent van Gogh for its vibrant depictions of the countryside.[4]
His work has since appeared in numerous group exhibitions, including the Angkor International Festival of the Arts (2021), The Veal Veaeng Disquisition at Rosewood Phnom Penh (2022), and Diamond are Forever at the same venue (2023).[5] In 2024, his painting Locked was acquired by the Battambang Museum Romcheik5.[6] Permanent exhibitions of his work are on view at SaKa Atelier and Masa Studio in Siem Reap (2024–2025).[1]
Artistic style and themes
[edit]Karona's artistic vision bridges Cambodia's cultural heritage with contemporary environmental concerns. His works often juxtapose traditional Khmer motifs—such as intricate carvings from Angkor—with modern issues like urbanization and pollution.[1] He employs recycled materials, including plastics and driftwood, to create sculptures and installations that highlight ecosystem vulnerability.[7]
Recurring natural subjects include dry leaves, corals, fish, waterlilies, and lotuses, symbolizing resilience and the "delicate interplay" of ecosystems.[1] His graduation project Up Side Down exemplifies this, using image of "upside-down" turtle imagery to critique plastic's disruption of marine harmony.[1]
In 2025, Karona won the Ekarieach Multi Art Award in art design, drawing, and painting for Immortal Water, a piece blending Khmer folklore with themes of cultural and environmental vitality.[8][9][1]
Awards
[edit]Recipient, Srey Bandaul Art Development Fund (2022)[1] First place, Ekarieach Multi Art Award (art design, drawing, and painting category), for Immortal Water (2025)[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Meet Karona, Recipient of the Srey Bandaul Art Development Fund". Phare Ponleu Selpak. 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "An Age-Old Figure Painted with Today's Vitality Wins a Cambodian Artist First Prize in a Major Art Competition". Cambodianess. 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "Karona, a New Voice in Siem Reap's Art Scene". Siem Reap.net. 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "Un petit van Gogh khmer de Siem Reap expose à Kampot" (in French). Le Petit Journal. 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "Veal Veaeng Disquisition Exhibition Catalog" (PDF). Rosewood Phnom Penh. 2023. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "New acquisition for our Countryside Museum. "Locked" by Karona Hoeuy 2024". Romcheik5 Countryside Art Museum. 2024. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "Karona, a New Voice in Siem Reap's Art Scene". Siem Reap.net. 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "An Age-Old Figure Painted with Today's Vitality Wins a Cambodian Artist First Prize in a Major Art Competition". Cambodianess. 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "Sofitel Hosted the 2nd Edition of the Ekarieach Multi Art Award Ceremony". Find Your News Media. 2025-02-14. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "KARONA Hoeuy". Recreation Cambodia. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:Cambodian artists Category:Environmental artists