The Story Behind ‘Flow’ by Sor Sophany

October 25, 2024

Flow by Sor Sophany

It's quite rare that one particular painting will cause such a stir and considerable pause. But one thing was for sure last Friday at the 200+ opening:

MANY gallerycomers said THIS particular painting was their favorite in the entire exhibition.

"Flow" is the final work in Sor Sophany's debut solo exhibition. Honestly, she quite surprised us: When gallery director Julia asked her,

"Wasn't there one more painting in this series? What happened to it?"

Sophany pointed at the yellow painting and said "This was that painting. I painted over it. The other one wasn’t working.”

While the execution of "Flow" was bold, highly intuitive and swift, the work carries numerous symbologies, all meant to represent the element of time and the absolute gravitas of not just the Buddhist belief of remaining present in each moment, but also that the unique memories in each moment should never be taken for granted.

Each moment, a gift to us and precious.

At the center of this stunning yellow and salmon pink work, a translucent hand cradles an hourglass, symbolizing the passage of time. The hourglass appears fluid, nearly melting into the surrounding atmosphere, creating a further metaphor for the transient beauty of life and the sometimes disconcerting inevitability of change and transition.

Due to this fragility of human existence, the swarm of dragonflies serve as lively anchors for each and every present moment. All other works in the show feature only one dragonfly, whereas “Flow,” acting as a culmination of all works in the show, features an intentional eleven. Eleven serves as an auspicious number, one meaning faith and spiritual awaking - think also of the “11th hour.”

In the top portion of the hourglass are faint Khmer numbers, as well as puzzle pieces stacked in no particular order - reminders of time and unique moments that create an entire puzzle.

If you’d like to purchase the original work, it is available at $3750. (Notice even the beautiful color shifts in the video below.)

Also, The River Gallery has listened: We are pleased to announce we've decided to do a print edition of this work! This is a rare chance to own a piece of Phany's new solo exhibition, yet at affordable cost.

Each piece is signed by the artist and printed via Colorhouse on HP Matte 270 gram archival Lithography Paper.

80x122cm.

Priced without frame and $150

(if you’d like a carrying tube, $10 extra)

**Notes of interest: The original work was photographed by Antal Gabelics, a superb local photographer who even worked with John McDermott (Thanks Robina for connecting us… wow) A work of this delicate nuance is very difficult to photographer correctly, so rest assured the print looks phenomenal.

How this work makes one feel when near it:

A sense of peace and calm.
Bathed in brightness and a feeling of spirituality
Intuition and tranquility

Thank you as always for supporting The River Gallery and the purchase of Khmer art.

P.S. We accept ABA, Venmo, CC or good ole’ fashioned cash.