MINNEAPOLIS, MN.- The Minneapolis Institute of Art is presenting Sopheap Pich: In the Presence Of, a focused exhibition featuring four key works by the acclaimed Cambodian-born artist, all on loan to Mia.
On view from October 25, 2025, to February 1, 2026, the exhibition offers visitors an intimate glimpse into Pichs engagement with Cambodian culture, history, and the natural world. The artist is renowned for transforming everyday materialssuch as rattan, metal wire, and burlapinto meticulously crafted, delicate sculptures that evoke their subjects without directly replicating them. Pichs choice of materials reflects both the natural environment of Cambodia and his personal experiences, spanning memories from his childhood to returning to his homeland as an adult. The resulting works subtly invite us to reflect on memory and history.
Sopheap Pichs stunning sculptures are meditations on place. Each is also embedded with allusions to the artists memories, as well as Cambodias history and present, said Leslie Ureña, Associate Curator of Global Contemporary Art at Mia. We are thrilled to share these works with the Twin Cities community.
This exhibition coincides with Mias presentation of Royal Bronzes: Cambodian Art of the Divine, a landmark exhibition in collaboration with the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts, France, and the National Museum of Cambodia. While Royal Bronzes highlights Cambodias Khmer Empire through monumental bronze sculptures, statues, and ritual objects, Pichs contemporary works offer a dialogue across timebridging earlier artistic practices with contemporary explorations of material, memory, and cultural legacy.
Sopheap Pichs sculptures resonate deeply with Cambodias artistic heritage, said Katie Luber, Mias Nivin and Duncan MacMillan Director & President. Visitors can experience the enduring spirit of Cambodian creativity in both ancient bronze craftsmanship and Pichs modern interpretation, revealing how history, culture, and memory continue to inspire artists today.