Ouch Savy in person

Ouch Savy was at Meta House to see the film Mekong Delta Blues

I realised tonight that I hadn't visited Meta House, here in Phnom Penh, for quite a while, having been in Laos recently, so it was time to put that right. And what better way than to see a new documentary, that's still unfinished, by filmmaker Julien Poulson called Mekong Delta Blues. It's a 45 minute music road documentary about the chapei legend Kong Nay and his protege Ouch Savy, and their Womad tour to Australia and New Zealand. The director follows Kong Nay and Ouch Savy as they experience life down under with interviews and excerpts from their concerts and radio station interviews. Ouch Savy was in the audience to watch the film - I have yet to see her perform on the chapei in person - and Kong Boran, Kong Nay's son, provided some live music accompaniment on the chapei. I will be back at Meta House on Sunday for a contemporary dance presentation and video that follows on from the Look At Us Now performances in May of this year. There are also a couple of exhibitions on at the moment, at Reyum Gallery and at the Bophana Center that will get my personal attention in the next couple of days.

Kong Boran provides some live chapei musical accompaniment at Meta House

Passing the family baton

This painting, My Grandfather Teaching Me How, says it all, by Ouk Sochivy

It all started on Sunday when three generations of Em Theay's family performed together at the benefit screening at Bophana and carried on this evening with two more events that I attended. Again at Bophana, the first-ever solo exhibition of paintings called To Be Continued by Ouk Sochivy kicked-off tonight with a healthy crowd in support of the 25-year-old artist. Chivy is the granddaughter of the legendary self-taught painter Svay Ken who died at the end of last year, and who taught and encouraged Chivy to begin painting in the middle of last year. Adopting an almost identical style to her grandfather, she has more than 30 paintings in this exhibition ranging from still life to fashion trends to eight paintings documenting the end of Svay Ken's life. Whilst the painting style won't be everyone's cup of tea, she is certainly carrying the Svay Ken baton and continuing his unique artform and technique. I left the exhibition at 7pm to make my way to the riverfront and the Chinese House just in time to catch an hour of chapei legend Kong Nai and his son, Kong Boran, performing together as a family unit, for another big crowd. Despite his blindness, Kong Nai is teaching his son though it was noticeable that Kong Boran has a sweeter voice than his father and adopts a slightly different singing style too. It is always a pleasure to see Kong Nai perform as he gives his all and flashes his brilliant white teeth as his way of acknowledging his enjoyment in performing and bringing this improvised form of music to a wider audience.