Biography

 In 2005, FONKi started doing graffiti and began painting. His triple identity, accompanied by the universal language of art, makes him discover the world. His artistic approach shifted during the summer of 2012. FONKi co-produced and is the subject of the feature-length winning awards documentary entitled «The Roots Remain», which films his return to the land of his ancestors. He immerses himself in his heritage and discovers a Cambodia in full transition and leaves his mark by creating the very first khmer graffiti lettering kbach style; a blend of modernity and Cambodian ancestral art found in the frescoes of the ancient temples of the fabulous city of Angkor.

Now curator and owner of FT Gallery at Factory Phnom Penh and founder of Murals for Cambodia Festival, his team and him are carrying the mission to support new Cambodian talent as well as nurturing Phnom Penh’s international reputation as a vibrant cultural hub in SouthEast Asia. With the help of his various tools and through his different projects, FONKi is in constant search of the substantive marrow of our humanity which unites us all; of this passion and pure and raw love for life, in order to preserve his kid’s heart within him and keep the authenticity of his teenager’s spirit, from when he first picked up a spray paint.

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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     75^e 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.