The aim of the Contemporary Art Class is to develop students’ conceptual thinking for their art practice. The class is intended to complement already existing art education programs available in Cambodia, which focus on technical skills rather than on conceptual approaches. Building on this already existing educational infrastructure, the Contemporary Art Class embraces a flexible and experimental pedagogical method in order to expose students to a wide range of ideas and approaches relevant to the practice.

Each student will have different technical skills, meaning that students can learn from each other, and inspire each other. The format of the class, in which guest speakers and excursions will be followed by classroom discussions, encourages students to learn from each other’s perspectives, and to learn from each other’s understandings .

At the completion of the Contemporary Art Class, students will be equipped with the following skills:

• Ability to identify a concept that they are interested in working on.

• Ability to articulate why this concept is of interest and relevant to them.

• Ability to conduct independent research, identifying places to visit, people to meet, texts to read. This includes experiential learning, using all the senses.

• Familiarity with key galleries and museums in Phnom Penh.

• Familiarity with other sites of relevance to their concept.

• Ability to critically reflect on excursions, including to galleries, museums, and other sites.

• Basic ability to articulate critical reflections in writing as well as orally.

• Basic ability to prepare an artists’ CV, and to write a proposal.

Guest lecturers and speakers were Dr. Toni Shapiro Phim, Soung Sokro, Ouch Chhuong, Leang Seckon, San Phalla, Sopheap Pich, and Vuth Lyno.

Contemporary Art Class 2019 was supported by the Rei Foundation.