Elita Rattana Gendler

“A Cambodian Odyssey” tells the story of my unique connection to my birth family and culture of origin. Born in Cambodia, I was adopted when I was six months old. When I was eight, I reconnected with my Cambodian family, marking the start of a tender and unconventional relationship. Svay Ampear village became familiar through frequent visits. As I grew into adolescence, I witnessed the reality of life and death there.

This work captures the vulnerability of family. With each composed image, I reclaim my heritage from a home in which I never lived.

Elita Gendler is a Cambodian American lens-based artist living in New York City. Primarily working in

analog, she allows her multicultural identity to inform her practice.