The exhibition “Gods and Angels” opening today at Java Cafe is a rare opportunity to get an intimate look at the magnificent costumes that add to the magic in Khmer classical dance.
The costumes in the exhibit were among those worn by dancers in the Sophiline Arts Ensemble over the past decade or so when they appeared in Vienna, New York and Venice in performances choreographed by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro.
“When I have some money, instead of buying land, I buy costumes: That’s why the company has beautiful costumes,” Ms. Cheam Shapiro said. And they are no small expense, as goldwork—embroidery done with gold thread —alone costs around $100 for 91 centimeters.
Ms. Cheam Shapiro conceived each costume and enlisted the country’s best costume makers to reflect the personality of the characters, she said.
“For most of the costumes, the [silk or velvet] fabric was purchased here. Most of the goldwork is from India, the sequins and beads as well.”
Among the costumes in the exhibition is a green velvet-and-cotton outfit with sequins and goldwork, worn by a dancer in Ms. Cheam Shapiro’s ballet “Pamina Devi” during her company’s tour of the Netherlands in 2008 and performances in Phnom Penh in 2011.
A lavish installation, complete with an elaborate gold headdress, features the costume of the character Neang Neak in “Seasons of Migration.” Made of silk, gold mesh, satin, cotton with sequins and goldwork, it was worn both during the ballet and when Neang Neak was performed as a solo piece in Cambodia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S.
Putting up the Neang Neak installation ended up taking several days, said Dana Langlois, founding director of JavaArts. A dancer from the Sophiline Arts Ensemble, Lim Chanboramy, assisted Ms. Langlois and her staff to position the costume in a way that mirrored the movement of the character.
The museum-style exhibition consists of 12 pieces ranging from full costumes to elements of costumes such as sashes and heavy collars. And due to the need for new costumes for each tour, Ms. Cheam Shapiro is putting them up for sale.
“What we need is forward-thinking collectors who are invested in Cambodia’s cultural heritage…buying these works as well as other works from the visual arts, and who would then give them back to the country or to an institution exhibiting them for the public,” Ms. Langlois said.
“That’s what Cambodia needs until we’re able to have a proper facility to house cultural and contemporary artifacts.”
The exhibition runs through January 25.
