Alive: Kim Hak

Alive was a photography project by Cambodian photographer Kim Hak in partnership with Rei Foundation Limited. It was Lagi-Maama’s first project and the reason that we formally ‘set up’.

May 2018 - September 2019 

Kim Hak produced a body of work based on 12 Cambodian families in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and the precious works and stories that survived the reign of the Khmer Rouge, that they brought with them to Aotearoa. Rei Foundation then contracted Lagi-Maama to project manage the process of sourcing an exhibition space for Hak’s works and building a team (comms, design) to produce and promote Alive within and across Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa.

It was a priority for us to create a safer space for the families involved, due to the sensitivities, trauma and emotions around the sharing of their stories, by embedding a Community Lead/Connector role. Chakara Lim came on board in this capacity where he provided access to his Cambodian community and all ‘12’ families (including his story). This was key to the success of Hak’s Alive project in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Hak’s body of works were exhibited under Alive: Kim Hak at Objectspace from 2 June – 21 July 2019.

A publication was produced by Alt Group and published by Objectspace with texts written in Khmer and English and authored by Hak and his Cambodian community in Aoteraoa.

And all 30 works – 25 from Aotearoa and 5 from Cambodia - that were exhibited at Objectspace have now been acquired by Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum.