FONKi is an artist from Montreal. He was born in France of Cambodian parents, who were refugees of the Khmer Rouge genocide, in the 70s.
At 15 years old, FONKi discovers graffiti. He gradually grows into one of the most prominent figures in Montreal’s new generation of graffiti artists.His art becomes his oyster – as it brings FONKi around the world. He paints murals in France, Cambodia, Belgium, England, Mexico, Vietnam, the United States… Everywhere he goes, he paints giant portraits depicting local people. These anonymous faces communicate deeply touching expressions and have become FONKi’s signature.
His artistic process and inspiration take a critical turn in the summer of 2012. FONKi is the main character of a feature documentary entitled “The Roots Remain”, filming his return to his ancestors’ land. In Cambodia, he discovers a country at the crossroads, bubbling with changes at all levels of the society. He leaves his mark creating the very first “kbach” style graffiti lettering, a mix between modernity and traditional Cambodian art, which can be found on the hundreds-of-year old frescoes of the fabulous Angkor temples. Since he gained recognition as one of the pioneers of Kbach style graffiti, FONKI has been invited to share his experience in multiple conferences and interviews, including at TEDx and on France Télévision.
Upon his return to Montreal in 2012, he teams up with BONAR, a local artist, to co-found the consortium of artists Montreal ZOO (MTL ZOO). As the curator of art exhibitions through MTL ZOO, they support many artists – some already renown in the Montreal scene and other young artists rising through the ranks – to showcase their creativity in a range of artistic disciplines.
From the walls to the canvas, FONKi managed to adapt his art from the street to galleries. He is the guest of prestigious exhibitions, including by Christie’s, the famous arts auction house. Nowadays, collectors from Europe, North America and Asia own some of his work.
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CURRICULUM
EXHIBITIONS
- 2015 GRAND VERNISSAGE ELECTRIQUE VIP, Curator,Espace infopresse, Montreal, Canada (18/06)
- 2014 CHRISTIE’S charity auction, Group show, Hotel le Royal , Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- 2014 SOFITEL hotel – Recreation, Group show, Galerie des arts,Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- 2013 MTL ZOO fête ses 1 ans!Curator, L’Agora Gallery, group show, curator Montreal (01/10)
- 2013 MTL ZOO at Divan Orange, Curator, Mural Festival, group show curator, Montreal, (06/12)
- 2013 Expo D. With art collective En Masse,group show, Montreal 23/02 – (03/03)
- 2012 MTL ZOO: Le lancement, Curator,L’Agora gallery, group show curator, Montreal (23/10 – 01/11)
- 2012 FONKi présente: Héros de ton enfance, Solo show, Boutique Panache, Montreal, Canada (x/03)
- 2011 For a Fonkee World, Solo show, SubV, Montreal, Canada (09/09)
- 2011 Bring on the FUNK, Group show, SubV, Montreal, Canada (28/10 – 30/11)
- 2011 À propos, group show, L’Agora Gallery, group show, Montreal, Canada (24/02)
- 2010 Regard sur le Chili, Project Coordinator
- 2009 Quelle horreur! Curator L’Agora gallery, Montreal (x/05)
SELECTED COMMISSIONNED MURALS and LIVE PAINTING
- 2015 Ubisoft phase2, Interior design mural with A’SHOP, Montréal, Canada (x/10)
- 2015 PITREM organization, Interior design mural with A’SHOP, Montréal, Canada (x/10)
- 2015 Expo Québec, Mural on trucks with A’SHOP, Québec Canada (x/08)
- 2015 Under Pressure International Graffiti convention, UP 20th anniversary, Montréal, Canada (x/08)
- 2015 Vans Off The Wall Canada, Shoe design at Osheaga festival, Montreal, Canada (01/08 – 03/08)
- 2015 Vision Mondiale x Festival Mural x FONKi, Live painting, Montreal, Canada (12/06)
- 2015 Ubisoft phase1, Interior design mural with A’SHOP, Montreal, Canada (25/05 – 29/05)
- 2015 Ta Kao, Interior design mural,Longueil, Canada (x/04)
- 2015 40th anniversary commemoration of the victims of the Cambodian genocide, canvas and art director for Khemara Center, Montreal, Canada (28/03)
- 2015 McGill University faculty of law, Canvas interior design, Montreal, Canada (x/02 – x/03)
- 2015 Maria Sabina, Mural, Puerto Esondido, Mexique (x/01)
- 2014 Lokshin private loft, Interior design mural, Montreal, Canada (x/11 – x/12)
- 2014 Ruelles vertes 1-2-3, Murals, Montreal city green alley project, with A’shop, Montreal, Canada
- 2014 75e anniversaire de la caisse de groupe de l’administration et des services publics Desjardins, Commissionned canvas for Caisse Desjardins bank, Montreal, Canada (x/09)
- 2014 Festival Art Pression, Mural, Chicoutimi, Canada (x/10)
- 2014 Amalgam Urban Art Festival, Mural, Sherbrooke, Canada (x/08)
- 2014 Elementakiza Hip-Hop you don’t stop,Mural on trucks and Art director, Montreal, Canada (20/10)
- 2014 Under Pressure Fresh Paint International Graffiti convention, Mural Montreal, Canada (09/08)
- 2014 Festival MURAL, Paint Jam at Le Belmont, Art director, Montreal, Canada (x/07)
- 2014 Paris City library hall, Mural, Paris, France (x/07)
- 2014 Brick Lane mural project, London, England, (23/07)
- 2014 Quartier Belleville, Mural Paris, France (x/07)
- 2014 Sangker Art Space ft. FONKi, Mural FONKi world, Battambang, Cambodge (x/04)
- 2014 Elementary School, Mural, Koh Thom, Cambodia (x/04)
- 2014 Biêm hoa, Mia’s Gallery, Ho chi Minh, Vietnam (05/04 – 06/04)
- 2014 Maison coloniale, FONKi World, Koh Thom, Cambodge (15/04)
- 2014 Elementary School,mural FONKi World, Koh Thom, Cambodge (11/04)
- 2014 Old Cinema,Mural FONKi World, Phnom Penh, Cambodge (11/04)
- 2014 Cambodia Land of Smiles,Murals, FONKi World, Phnom Penh, Cambodge (x/04)
- 2014 Boeng Kak Lake Kbach1, Mural FONKi World , Phnom Penh, Cambodge (x/04)
- 2014 Boeng Kak Lake Kbach1, Mural FONKi World , Phnom Penh, Cambodge (x/04)
- 2014 Eco-restort Jasmine Valley, Mural, FONKi world,Kep, Cambodia (04/02)
- 2014 Ganesh, Mural private client, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (x/03)
- 2013 Integral Yoga institute, Montreal, Canada (x/10)
- 2013 Orientaly Festival, Festival du monde Arabe, Montreal, Canada (x/08)
- 2013 Elementakiza Hip-Hop you don’t stop, graffiti battle on trucks,Montreal, Canada (21/10)
- 2013 Festival Art Pression, Mural Chicoutimi, Canada (10/10)
- 2013 Under Pressure Fresh Paint International Graffiti convention, Mural, Montreal, Canada (10/08)
- 2013 Festival MURAL,Interior design mural, Balroom bar nightclub, Montreal, Canada (x/07)
- 2013 MTL ZOO at Divan Orange, Interior design mural, Montreal, Canada (x/07)
- 2013 Festival des Week-End du monde, Mural at Cambodian festival, Montréal, Canada (16/07)
- 2013 Princess Bopha Devi, Charity canvas for the Angkoriennne community of Canada, Montréal (x/04)
- 2012 Putthisastra University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (03/08 – 05/08)
- 2012 Koh Rong Island’s School. Koh Rong, Cambodia (22/07)
- 2012 Institut français du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (06/07-20/07)
- 2012 Boulevard 44, Night club, Montreal, Canada (01/04)
- 2011 Prevention NDG-CDN, City project, Montreal, Canada (01/10-01/11)
- 2011 Les Anticipateurs, Rap show live painting, Montreal (x/10)
- 2011 Can You Rock, International Graffiti-Art convention, Montreal, Canada (03/09-04/09)
- 2011 Under Pressure Fresh Paint, International Graffiti convention, Montreal, Canada (14/08)
- 2011 Prevention NDG-CDN, City project, Montreal, Canada (09/08)
- 2011 Formula 1, Commissioned canvas for Formula 1 event at Time Supper Club, Montreal, Canada (09/06 – 11/06)
- 2011 997, Time Supper Club live performance and commissioned wall, Montreal, Canada
- 2011 De Paris à Montreal, Mural for Jeremy Rubier’s documentary, Montreal, Canada (x/02)
- 2010 Urban Art Event, Montreal, Canada (28/08)
- 2010 Association Club UdeM, Université de Montréal, Canada (20/03-26/03)
- 2009 Dentist office, Racy Ly, Montreal, Canada (02/08)
- 2009 Urban Art Festival, Repentigny, Canada, Canada (25/07)
- 2007 International School of Montreal, high school yard, Canada (04/05-05/05)
- 2006 International School of Montreal, Student café interior design, Canada (x/06)
FILM EXPERIENCE
- FONKi World, by Thomas Szacka-Marier and FONKi, 2015, web-documentary series, 6 episodes. Cambodia-Montreal-Vietnam.
Co-director and fixer - The Roots Remain, by Jean-Sebastien Francoeur, 2014, documentary, 112min. Cambodia
Executive producer, fixer and main protagonist
Screened at: Cambodia Town film festival 2015, DocUtah 2015, Philadelphia International Film Festival 2015, Vancouver Asian Film Festival 2015, Montreal International Documentary film festival 2015, International Film Festival of Cambodia 2015 ** Winner of: Magnus Isaacson Award, Women Inmates award at RIDM** - Follow the Tide, by Thomas Szacka-Marier,2013, documentary, 30min. Dakar, Senegal
Opening credits animation - Smile, by FONKi produced by Rithy Panh, 2012, short film animation, 3min. Cambodia. Screened at the World Film Festival of Cambodia 2012
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS and MORE
- MURAL Festival – Guest speaker. FONKi 10 years recap: Art of living vs Living for art.
- Henri-Bourassa high school. Guest speaker and art workshops. Nov 2014 – april 2015. Nov 2015 – feb 2015
- TEDx HEC Montréal – Guest speaker. FONKi: Cambodia new generation – Healing threw art. May 2014
- KHEMARA Khmer History and Civilization Center – Guest speaker. May 2014
- Artist residency at Cambodia Film Commission & Bophana Center. April – August 2012
- International School of Montreal – Guest speaker and art workshops. 2011-2012
- Angkorienne Community of Canada.2000 – as of today
Dancer, co-organiser, animator, art director (Annual summer Festival, Fundraising Events)
The organisation aims at promoting the culture of Cambodia in a Canadian framework, in order to support the integration of immigrants and improve the inter-generational understanding.
