Chhim Sothy (born in 1969 in Kandal province), studied 10 years at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh where he learned traditional Khmer painting. He exhibited his paintings in Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, France and won several awards: “Future of Culture” (Phnom Penh, 2004); “Life and Nature” (Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Kingdom of Cambodia, 2003), “Asean Art Awards” (Phillip Moris Group, Singapore, 2000). In 2008 he represented Cambodia during the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
In 2007 he had his exhibition “Abstract Markets” at Meta House, Phnom Penh.
“As a crimson sun climbs out of the nearby Tonle Bassac, the market is already abuzz. Vendors display their goods and call out their prices. Customers sort through the morning’s offerings of fish, fruit and fresh product. Men weave overloaded motobikes between crowded stalls. Women squat on on the streets amid bags of cockleshells and flower baskets. Beggars plead for spare change, while flies swarm on hook-hung meat. This is Kandal Market at 7am – colorful ,loud, packed and pungent. It’s a scene much like other phnom Penh markets coming to life all over the city, as they have for generations. But this will soon change, as traditional Khmer markets are slowly being out paced by bigger, cleaner, modern shopping centers and displaced by skyrocketing land prices in downtown Phnom Penh…” (Tracey Shelton, Phnom Penh Post).

http://khmerartist.org