• Society

Exhibition to Support Photography and Free Education Center 

• By Meng Seavmey
• February 15, 2024 6:10 PM

PHNOM PENH – More than 50 international and local photographers and artists will exhibit their works on Cambodian livelihood under the theme “Samaki in Cambodia” to support the photography sector and a charity for free education. 

Shunsuke Miyatake, a Japanese creative lead at the behavior change group 17Triggers and the founder of the Phnom Penh Photography Collective, said the exhibition tells the group’s journey by showing diverse work of members and non-members. 

A market between night and morning. Photo_ Shunsuke Miyatake

Supported by Samai Rum Distillery and Humans of Cambodia, the exhibition will be held for a month from Feb. 24 at Hiroshima House — a school built on Cambodian-Japanese friendship to provide free education for children from poor families. 

Through this exhibition, the collective wants to support Hiroshima House. The group also has a mission to use photography for social impact and community engagement.  

Seventy percent from the sale of each piece will be contributed to students who are getting free education at the house. 

Monk Procession. Photo_ Raphael Pech

“There has been a significant growth in interest and participation in photography. However, there are still challenges such as access to resources, training, and opportunities for photographers, especially in underserved communities” he said. 

Why ‘Samaki’? 

According to the founder, the team named the theme “Samaki” because the word means the essence of unity, solidarity, and community that resonate deeply with Cambodian and Japanese cultures. 

Shunsuke thought the Hiroshima House would be the perfect venue for the exhibition because of its history and mission of fostering cross-cultural understanding and cooperation between Japan and Cambodian. 

Sync. Photo_ Stéphane Monard

“Hiroshima House has a beautiful history and as a Japanese person, I really want to share their background and beautiful place to all the people in Cambodia,” Shunsuke said. 

Shunsuke takes photography seriously but is not a professional. Since 2016, his works have featured street images and the livelihood of people in Phnom Penh.