Khmer Artist in ១៩៥៤ Mr.Nhim Dim

Mr. Nhim Dim
Nhek Dim was born on February 12, 1934 in Reap village, Reap commune, Pea Reang District, in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia. His parents, Nhek Pidaou and Prom Pul, were prosperous farmers. From childhood he showed a remarkable talent in drawing, and he loved to paint. He finished elementary school in 1949. Because of his obvious talent, his parents sent him to the School of Cambodian Arts (now the Department of Plastic Arts of the Royal University of Fine Arts) in Phnom Penh. There he studied "traditional painting". He graduated in 1954 and started to work at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. He married Mao Samen, and they had six children: three girls, who all died at an early age, and three boys. In 1957 he went for six months to the Philippines to draw and publish books. From 1963 to 1967 he resided in the United States to study cartoon filmmaking. His cartoon "The Wise Rabbit" won a 1967 student competition organized by Walt Disney. Later, former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk asked him to make paintings to illustrate a book of songs written by the ex-King. Occasionally he drew satirical cartoons that were published in several magazines. He owned his own gallery where he exhibited his old paintings and water colors. Besides painting and drawing he was also the author of several novels, and composer of many songs. He was a close friend of Sinn Sisamouth, although for some time they were not on speaking terms. Nhek Dim died on December 16, 1978, as one more artist who didn't survive the Khmer Rouge regime. He left a wife and three sons.

Subjects and Style

Nhek Dim's works – sometimes realistic, sometimes more stylized – often depict traditional Cambodian landscapes, tourist sites like Angkor and Kampot's Tek Chhou, and Khmer and native people. He also painted many portraits of Cambodian pop stars, like Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Huoy Meas, for the covers of their records. He was especially skilled at painting remarkably lifelike people and their faces.
Many of Nhek Dim's paintings have been collected or photographed by Lors Chinda. His publishing house published a book showing many of Nhek Dim's works.

Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA)

Mission

The Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) is Cambodia's Primary centre of education and research in arts and culture.

Its main objective is to train a young generation of artists, architects, and archaeologists capable of active

participation in the preservation and development of the various forms and expressions of Khmer culture.

The Royal Univers

ity of Fine Arts consists of five faculties:

The Faculty of Archaeology provides teaching in five main fields of study: prehistoric and historical 

archaeology, anthropology, epigrapphy, heritage and tourism. Particular focus is given to Khmer cultural 

heritage including its history and management.

The Faculty of Fine Arts facilitates students to develop their individual talents to become visual artists, 

interior designers, painters, sculptors and communication designers. It is an educational center of national 

and international arts. instructors guide students to think independently in order to develop their full 

potential as artists.

The Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism trains future architects and urbanists. Teaching is based on 

proctical applications and theory in areas ranging from the fields of construction, urban planning and land 

management.

The Faculty of Music instructs students in Cambodia's diverse musical forms, to become musicians, 

singers, composers and conductors. Classical Western music is also taught, with study ranging from 

individual performance and instrumnets to ensembles.

The Faculty of Choreographic Arts consists of three main sections: dance, drama and cinema. Dancers, 

choreographers, and directors are trained to perform and direct compositions based on Cambodian 

classical forms of performing arts. Students are also taught the fundamentals of modern audiovisual 

production.

RUFA also maintains the Culture and Science Research Centre, which assists students and teachers to utilise

modern technology and methodology in teaching, study and most importantly, research. The Centre aims to increase

the quantity and quality of cutural documentation as a scholarly resource.

History

Found in 1918, the Roral School of Arts became the Roral University of Fine Arts in 1965. Classes were offerd in

numberous disciplines including archaeology, architecture and urbanism, interior design, painting and sculpture ( as

well as secondary education classes in choreographic arts, fine arts and music). Due to the Khmer Rouge regime the

university was forced to close from 1975 to 1979. The institution reopend in May 1980 as the School of Arts with

five sections: fine arts, circus, dance, music, and drama.

In October 1988, by Sub-degree, the Univeristy of Fine Arts was reopened with its current five faculties:

architecture and urbanism, archaeology, fine arts, choreography and music. It became the Roral University of Fine

Arts in 1996. A futher Sub-degree in June 2003 clarified its status as an Administrative Public Institution.

RUFA Today

Approximately 800 students attend RUFA's diverse classes. The academic year is divided into two semesters, and

each semester is 15 weeks.

The educational program is implemented in compliance with national and internationa teaching standards. The

university constantly strives to teach current methodologies and to utilise modern technology, keeping in mind

Camboadia aesthetics and the significance of conservation as well as the continued creative growth of Khmer

culture.

RUFA is also participating in the ongoing process of reform and improvement of the higher education system in

Cambodia. In this regard, each undergraduate student must complete and initial Foundation Year. which includes a

number of required course providing essential orientation and general knowledge before they enter into the second

year.

RUFA implements a credit system based on international standards to objectively determine student progress and

class level. Each course is assigned a specific number of credits. Earned credites serve to determine a student's

class level.

Contact Us

Address: No.72 Ang Yukanthor (St.19) Phone: 011-906259 Website: http://www.ruf.edu.kh/
  Email: rufa@camnet.com.kh