ANDREW HEM U.S.A. / Cambodia

Andrew Hem was born during his parents’ getaway from Cambodia in the wake of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Hem developed his artistic imagery between the culture of the rural animistic society of his Khmer ancestors and the dynamic urban art of the tough Los Angeles neighbourhood where his family settled. Living this cultural dichotomy has favoured an aesthetic inspired by the world of graffiti and tribal and supernatural imagery. It is possible to describe his works as dreamlike memories inspired by his own experience: Hem's ethereal paintings act as a window toward the invisible reality of the human spirit. His artworks, made recognisable by the evocative palettes and the impressionist brushstrokes, convey visions and memories able to carry us through a time and place suspended between reality and dreams in a spiritual landscape where the city and nature blend together as introspective protagonists. Andrew Hem’s worlds-wide spread murals delicately narrate experiences of refugees, offering a priceless contribution to society’s education on ethics and sustainability through visually stunning art pieces.